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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark one)

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003

OR

For the transition period from              to             

Commission file number 1-1150

VERIZON NEW ENGLAND INC.

185 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110

Telephone Number (617) 743-9800

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: See attached Schedule A.

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None.

THE REGISTRANT MEETS THE CONDITIONS SET FORTH IN GENERAL INSTRUCTION I(1)(a) AND (b) OF FORM 10-K AND IS THEREFORE FILING THIS FORM WITH REDUCED DISCLOSURE FORMAT PURSUANT TO GENERAL INSTRUCTION I(2).

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  x    No  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).    Yes  ¨    No  x

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SCHEDULE A

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act*:

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UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED, ALL INFORMATION IS AS OF MARCH 24, 2004.

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PART I

Item 1. Business

    (Abbreviated pursuant to General Instruction I(2).)

GENERAL

Verizon New England Inc. is incorporated under the laws of the State of New York. We are a wholly owned subsidiary of NYNEX Corporation (NYNEX), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Verizon Communications Inc. (Verizon).

We presently serve a territory consisting of Local Access and Transport Areas (LATAs) in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. These LATAs are generally centered on a city or based on some other identifiable common geography.

We currently provide two basic types of telecommunications services:

As of December 31, 2003, we had approximately 13,600 employees. Approximately 87% of our employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements. Collective bargaining agreements with the unions expire in August 2008.

REGULATION

Telecommunications Act of 1996

We face increasing competition in all areas of our business. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 (the 1996 Act), regulatory and judicial actions and the development of new technologies, products and services have created opportunities for alternative telecommunication service providers, many of which are subject to fewer regulatory constraints.

In-Region Long Distance

Under the 1996 Act, our ability to offer in-region long distance services (that is, services originating in the states where we operate as a local exchange carrier) was largely dependent on satisfying specified requirements. These requirements included a 14-point “competitive checklist” of steps which we must take to help competitors offer local services through resale, through purchase of unbundled network elements (UNEs), or by interconnecting their own networks to ours. We were required to demonstrate to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that our entry into the in-region long distance market would be in the public interest.

On April 16, 2001, February 22, 2002, April 17, 2002, June 19, 2002 and September 25, 2002, the FCC released orders approving our applications for permission to enter the in-region long distance markets in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire, respectively. The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia remanded the Massachusetts order to the FCC for further explanation on one issue, but left our long distance authority in effect. In-region long distance is being offered in these states by a separate non-regulated subsidiary of Verizon as required by law.

FCC Regulation and Interstate Rates

We are subject to the jurisdiction of the FCC with respect to interstate services and certain related matters.

Access Charges and Universal Service

On May 31, 2000, the FCC adopted the Coalition for Affordable Local and Long Distance Services (CALLS) plan as a comprehensive five-year plan for regulation of interstate access charges. The CALLS plan has three main components.

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First, it establishes a portable interstate access universal service support of $650 million for the industry. This explicit support replaces implicit support embedded in interstate access charges. Second, the plan simplifies the patchwork of common line charges into one subscriber line charge (SLC) and provides for de-averaging of the SLC by zones and class of customers in a manner that will not undermine comparable and affordable universal service. Third, the plan sets into place a mechanism to transition to a set target of $.0055 per minute for switched access services. Once that target rate is reached, local exchange carriers are no longer required to make further annual price cap reductions to their switched access prices. The annual reductions leading to the target rate, as well as annual reductions for the subset of special access services that remain subject to price cap regulation was set at 6.5% per year.

As a result of tariff adjustments which became effective in July 2002, we reached the $.0055 benchmark.

The FCC has adopted rules for special access services that provide for pricing flexibility and ultimately the removal of services from price regulation when prescribed competitive thresholds are met.

In November 1999, the FCC adopted a new mechanism for providing universal service support to high-cost areas served by large local telephone companies. This funding mechanism provides additional support for local telephone services in several states served by Verizon. This system has been supplemented by the new FCC access charge plan described above. On October 16, 2003, in response to a previous court decision, the FCC announced a decision providing additional justification for its non-rural high-cost universal support mechanism and modifying it in part. The FCC also has proceedings underway to evaluate possible changes to its current rules for assessing contributions to the universal service fund. Any change in the current assessment mechanism could result in a change in the contribution that local telephone companies must make and that would have to be collected from customers.

Unbundling of Network Elements

On February 20, 2003, the FCC announced a decision adopting new rules defining the obligations of incumbent local exchange carriers to provide competing carriers with access to UNEs. The decision was the culmination of an FCC rulemaking referred to as its triennial review of its UNE rules, and also was in response to a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit had overturned the FCC’s previous unbundling rules on the grounds that the FCC did not adequately consider the limitations of the “necessary and impair” standards of the 1996 Act when it chose national rules for unbundling and that it failed to consider the relevance of competition from other types of service providers, including cable and satellite.

The text of the order and accompanying rules was released on August 21, 2003. With respect to broadband facilities, such as mass market fiber to the premises loops and packet switching, that order generally removed unbundling obligations under Section 251 of the 1996 Act. With respect to narrowband services, the order generally left unbundling obligations in place, with certain limited exceptions, and delegated to state regulatory proceedings a further review. The order also provided a new set of criteria relating to when carriers may purchase a combination of unbundled loops and transport elements known as enhanced extended loops (EELs).

The FCC’s order significantly increases arbitrage opportunities by making it easier for carriers to use EELs for non-local service at regulated prices set using the pricing formula that applies to UNEs rather than competitive special access prices. In addition, the FCC’s order eliminates important safeguards that protected against this kind of arbitrage, including the FCC’s previous rule against co-mingling unbundled elements and other services.

Multiple parties, including Verizon, appealed various aspects of the decision. Multiple parties also have asked the FCC to clarify or reconsider various aspects of its order, and Verizon has petitioned the FCC to make clear that any broadband facilities that do not have to be unbundled under Section 251 of the 1996 Act also do not have to be unbundled under another provision of the 1996 Act. On March 2, 2004, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued an order upholding the FCC in part, and overturning its order in part. The court upheld the FCC with respect to broadband facilities. On the narrowband unbundling requirements and on the EELs rules, the court reversed key aspects of the FCC decision. The court’s reversal of the FCC will not go into effect for 60 days following the ruling or until a petition for rehearing is denied or granted.

Intercarrier Compensation

On April 27, 2001, the FCC released an order addressing intercarrier compensation for dial-up connections for Internet-bound traffic. The FCC found that Internet-bound traffic is interstate and subject to the FCC’s jurisdiction. Moreover, the FCC again found that Internet-bound traffic is not subject to reciprocal compensation under Section 251(b)(5) of the 1996 Act. Instead, the FCC established federal rates per minute for this traffic that decline from $.0015 to $.0007 over a

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three-year period. The FCC order also sets caps on the total minutes of this traffic that may be subject to any intercarrier compensation and requires that incumbent local exchange carriers must offer to both bill and pay reciprocal compensation for local traffic at the same rate as they are required to pay on Internet-bound traffic. On May 3, 2002, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit rejected part of the FCC’s rationale for its April 27, 2001 order, but declined to vacate the order while it is on remand. As a result, pending further action by the FCC, the FCC’s underlying order remains in effect.

More generally, the FCC has an ongoing rulemaking that could fundamentally restructure the regulatory regime for intercarrier compensation, including, but not limited to, access charges, compensation for Internet traffic, and reciprocal compensation for local traffic. The FCC also is considering multiple petitions asking it to declare whether, and under what circumstances, services that employ Internet protocol are subject to access charges under current law, or asking it to forbear from any requirement to pay access charges on some such services. The FCC also has announced that it intends to initiate a rulemaking proceeding to address the regulation of voice over Internet protocol services generally.

Broadband Services

The FCC has several ongoing rulemakings considering the regulatory treatment of broadband services. Among the questions at issue are whether to require local telephone companies like Verizon to offer such services as a common carrier or whether such services may be offered under a potentially less regulated private carriage arrangement, and whether to declare broadband services offered by local telephone companies as non-dominant and what the effect should be of any such classification.

State Regulation of Rates and Services

Maine

In June 2001, the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) ordered the continuation of an Alternative Form of Regulation (AFOR) for Verizon Maine for a second five-year term. Key aspects of the plan:

The Maine Public Advocate appealed the MPUC’s 2001 AFOR decision to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, claiming that any extension to the AFOR must be preceded by an investigation of our costs and earnings utilizing traditional rate of return principles. On February 28, 2003, the court ruled that while state law requires that telephone rates under an AFOR are no higher than under rate of return regulation, the MPUC has broad discretion in making such a determination that would not necessarily require a full rate of return inquiry. However, the court vacated and remanded the decision to the MPUC for its failure to expressly make such a determination, or in the alternative that if such a showing cannot be made, that it nonetheless remains in the best interest of ratepayers to proceed with an AFOR. No change in any of our rates was required by the court’s decision while the remand proceeding was pending.

In March 2003, the MPUC opened a proceeding to address the Maine Supreme Judicial Court’s remand of the 2001 AFOR decision. In an order issued on July 11, 2003, the MPUC ruled that it would keep in place the $1.78 increase in our monthly basic exchange rates pending completion of the remand and maintain certain elements (pricing flexibility, Service Quality Index) of the proposed AFOR on an interim basis until a final decision on the remand. On September 25, 2003, the PUC issued an order reinstating the AFOR. Certain parties have appealed that decision to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court and the appeal is pending.

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Massachusetts

In April 2001, we filed with the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Energy (DTE) a proposed alternative regulatory plan to replace the price regulation plan that was to expire in August 2001. On May 8, 2002, the DTE issued its decision in Phase I of the case in which it found that Verizon New England had demonstrated the existence of sufficient competition for most of its retail business services and granted Verizon New England pricing flexibility on the services. Price increases are not constrained. Price decreases are subject to price floor requirements. In addition, the DTE ruled that Verizon New England should reduce state switched access prices to interstate levels on a revenue neutral basis by increases in residence dial-tone rates. With respect to residence services, the DTE tentatively concluded that we should have pricing flexibility for non-basic services but that increases in basic services should be limited. The DTE directed us to file proposals consistent with its findings.

In May 2003, the DTE issued a final ruling approving with minor modifications our compliance filing implementing the DTE’s alternative regulatory plan. The plan gives us pricing flexibility for most retail business services and residence non-basic services, including second dial-tone lines. The DTE also approved rate reductions for state switched access prices to interstate levels with offsetting revenue-neutral increases in residence dial-tone rates. Those rate changes became effective on June 1, 2003.

New Hampshire

Our operations in New Hampshire are currently subject to rate of return regulation. On January 16, 2004, the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission (NHPUC) concluded a comprehensive proceeding examining the appropriate cost of capital for us. In its order, the NHPUC set the average weighted cost of capital for us at 8.2%. At present, the newly determined cost of capital has no effect on our retail rates, however, the NHPUC directed us to file revised UNE rates reflecting this new cost of determination by March 16, 2004. Our current UNE rates were approved in 2001 relying upon an average weighted cost of capital of 10.46%. We filed an appeal of the NHPUC decision in federal district court in New Hampshire and sought a preliminary injunction against changes in the UNE rates pending a decision by the court. The NHPUC filed a partial objection to the injunction in which it proposed that the rate changes be stayed during the appeal provided the court include a true-up provision to apply the UNE rates retroactively to March 16, 2004, if the rates survived judicial review. We did not object to that condition, and the court accepted the NHPUC’s recommendation.

Rhode Island

Pursuant to a directive of the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission (RIPUC), we filed in July 2002 a proposal for a new alternative regulation plan to replace the existing price cap plan that was to expire in December 2002. Following the close of evidentiary hearings in the case, we and the Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers (Division) filed a stipulation on December 6, 2002 resolving all issues in the case. The principal components of the stipulated plan are:

After further hearing and briefing, the RIPUC approved the stipulation at an open meeting on January 10, 2003, with two modifications. First, the RIPUC imposed limits on price increases for all other non-basic residential services as follows:

Second, we are required to file quarterly reports showing for each wire center in the state the number of access lines served by us and the number and type of access lines served by competitors. On March 31, 2003, the RIPUC issued an order adopting the modified stipulation approved on January 10, 2003.

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Vermont

In 2000, the Vermont Public Service Board approved a five-year incentive regulation plan that provides us with increased flexibility to introduce and price new products and services. The plan also removes most restrictions on our earnings from Vermont operations during the life of the plan and contains no productivity adjustment. The plan limits our ability to raise prices on existing products and services, and requires revenue reductions of $16.5 million at the outset of the plan, $6.5 million during the first year of the plan and approximately $6.0 million over the subsequent years of the plan. The plan also requires some service quality improvements subject to financial penalty.

COMPETITION

Current and potential competitors in telecommunication services include long distance companies, other local telephone companies, cable companies, wireless service providers, foreign telecommunications providers, electric utilities, Internet service providers and other companies that offer network services. Many of these companies have a strong market presence, brand recognition and existing customer relationships, all of which contribute to intensifying competition and may affect our future revenue growth.

Local Exchange Services

The ability to offer local exchange services historically has been subject to regulation by state regulatory commissions. Applications from competitors to provide and resell local exchange services have been approved in our jurisdictions. The 1996 Act has significantly increased the level of competition in our local exchange markets.

One of the purposes of the 1996 Act was to ensure, and accelerate, the emergence of competition in local exchange markets. Toward this end, the 1996 Act requires most existing local exchange carriers (incumbent local exchange carriers, or ILECs), including our company, to permit potential competitors (CLECs) to:

As a result, competition in our local exchange markets continues to increase. We are generally required to sell our services to CLECs at discounts from the prices we charge our retail customers.

Long Distance Services

We offer intraLATA and interLATA long distance services. IntraLATA toll calls originate and terminate within the same LATA, but generally cover a greater distance than a local call. State regulatory commissions rather than federal authorities generally regulate these services. Federal regulators have jurisdiction over interstate toll services. All of our state regulatory commissions permit other carriers to offer intraLATA toll services within the state. A number of our major competitors in the long distance business have strong brand recognition and existing customer relationships.

Alternative Access Services

A substantial portion of our revenues from business and government customers is derived from a relatively small number of large, multiple-line subscribers.

We face competition from alternative communications systems, constructed by large end-users, interexchange carriers and alternative access vendors, which are capable of originating and/or terminating calls without the use of our plant. The FCC’s orders requiring us to offer collocated interconnection for special and switched access services have enhanced the ability of such alternative access providers to compete with us.

Other potential sources of competition include cable television systems, shared tenant services and other noncarrier systems which are capable of bypassing our local plant, either partially or completely, through substitution of special access for switched access or through concentration of telecommunications traffic on fewer of our lines.

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Wireless Services

Wireless services also constitute a significant source of competition to our wireline telecommunications services, especially as wireless carriers (including Verizon Wireless) expand and improve their network coverage and continue to lower their prices to end-users. As a result, more end-users are substituting wireless services for basic wireline service. Wireless telephone services can also be used for data transmission.

Public Telephone Services

The growth of wireless communications has significantly decreased usage of public telephones, as more customers are substituting wireless services for public telephone services. In addition, we face competition from other providers of public telephone services.

Operator Services

Our operator services product line faces competition from alternative operator services providers and Internet service providers.

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Item 2. Properties

GENERAL

Our principal properties do not lend themselves to simple description by character and location. Our investment in plant, property and equipment consisted of the following at December 31:

“Central office equipment” consists of switching equipment, transmission equipment and related facilities. “Outside communications plant” consists primarily of aerial cable, buried cable, underground cable, conduit and wiring, and telephone poles. “Land and buildings” consists of land and land improvements, and principally central office buildings. “Furniture, vehicles and other work equipment” consists of public telephone instruments and telephone equipment, furniture, office equipment, motor vehicles and other work equipment. “Other” property consists primarily of plant under construction, capital leases, capitalized computer software costs and leasehold improvements.

All of our properties, located in the states of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, are generally in good operating condition and are adequate to satisfy the needs of our business.

Our customers are served by electronic switching systems that provide a wide variety of services. Our network has full digital capability to furnish advanced data transmission and information management services.

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

We continue to make significant capital expenditures to meet the demand for communications services and to further improve such services. Capital spending was approximately $646 million in 2003, $834 million in 2002 and $1,343 million in 2001. Capital spending for those years includes capitalized software and excludes additions under capital leases. Our total investment in plant, property and equipment was approximately $17.5 billion at December 31, 2003 and $17.3 billion at December 31, 2002, including the effect of retirements, but before deducting accumulated depreciation.

There were no proceedings reportable under Item 3.

(Omitted pursuant to General Instruction I(2).)

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PART II

Not applicable.

(Omitted pursuant to General Instruction I(2).)

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(Abbreviated pursuant to General Instruction I(2).)

This discussion should be read in conjunction with the Financial Statements and Notes to Financial Statements listed in the index set forth on page F-1.

OVERVIEW

Description of Business

Verizon New England Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of NYNEX Corporation (NYNEX), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Verizon Communications Inc. (Verizon). We presently serve a territory consisting of Local Access and Transport Areas (LATAs) in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. We have one reportable segment which provides domestic wireline telecommunications services. We currently provide two basic types of telecommunications services:

The communications services we provide are subject to regulation by the state regulatory commissions of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont with respect to intrastate rates and services and other matters. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates rates that we charge long distance carriers and end-user subscribers for interstate access services. For a further discussion of the Company and our regulatory plans, see Item 1—“Business.”

Critical Accounting Policies

A summary of the critical accounting policies used in preparing our financial statements is as follows:

Most of our employees participate in Verizon’s defined benefit pension plans and postretirement benefit plans. In the aggregate, the fair value of pension plan assets exceeds pension plan benefit obligations. Significant pension and postretirement benefit plan assumptions, including the discount rate used, the long-term rate of return on plan assets, and medical cost trend rates are periodically updated and impact the amount of pension plan results, assets and obligations. For more information on pension plan assumptions, see Note 8 to the financial statements.

Our current and deferred income taxes and associated valuation allowances (if any) are impacted by events and transactions arising in the normal course of business, as well as in connection with special and non-recurring items. Assessment of the appropriate amount and classification of income taxes is dependent on several factors, including estimates of the timing and realization of deferred income tax assets and the timing of income tax payments. Actual collections and payments may differ from these estimates as a result of changes in tax laws, as well as unanticipated future transactions impacting related income tax balances.

We compute depreciation on plant, property, and equipment principally on the composite group remaining life method and straight-line composite rates over estimated useful lives ranging from 3 to 50 years. This method provides for the recognition of the cost of the remaining net investment in telephone plant, less anticipated net salvage value (if any), over the remaining asset lives. This method requires the periodic revision of depreciation rates. Changes in the estimated useful lives of plant, property, and equipment or depreciation methods could have a material effect on our results of operations.

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We recognize service revenues based upon usage of our local exchange network and facilities and contract fees. In general, fixed fees for local telephone, long distance and certain other services are billed one month in advance and recognized the following month when earned. Revenue from other products that are not fixed fee or that exceed contracted amounts is recognized when such services are provided. Customer activation fees, along with the related costs up to, but not exceeding the activation fees, are deferred and amortized over the customer relationship period.

In the course of conducting our business, we provide services to and purchase goods and services from affiliated companies. These transactions are supported by tariff rates or contractual agreements, the terms of which require estimates and judgments to fairly value such transactions.

All of our significant accounting policies are described in Note 1 to the financial statements.

Transactions with Affiliates

Our financial statements include transactions with affiliates. The more significant affiliate transactions include revenues earned from Verizon Internet Services Inc., Verizon Long Distance Services, Verizon Wireless Inc. and Verizon Global Networks Inc. for utilization of our network facilities and provision of services.

In addition, our operating revenue and expense include transactions with other Verizon Operating Telephone Companies primarily for the rental of facilities and equipment and interconnection services.

Further, we recognize operating expense in connection with contractual arrangements with affiliates, primarily Verizon Services, for the provision of various centralized services to us. We recognize interest expense in connection with contractual agreements with Verizon Network Funding Corp. for the provision of short-term financing and cash management services. We also pay quarterly dividends to our parent, NYNEX.

See Note 10 to the financial statements for additional information about our transactions with affiliates.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

We reported net income of $202.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2003, compared to net income of $233.2 million for the same period in 2002. Our reported results included the following special items:

Cumulative Effect of Change in Accounting Principle

Effective January 1, 2003, we adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 143, “Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations.” This standard provides the accounting for the cost of legal obligations associated with the retirement of long-lived assets. SFAS No. 143 requires that companies recognize the fair value of a liability for asset retirement obligations in the period in which the obligations are incurred and capitalize that amount as part of the book value of the long-lived asset. We have determined that we do not have a material legal obligation to remove long-lived assets as described by this statement. However, prior to the adoption of SFAS No. 143, we included estimated removal costs in our group depreciation models. These costs have increased depreciation expense and accumulated depreciation for future removal costs for existing assets. These removal costs were recorded as a reduction to accumulated depreciation when the assets were retired and removal costs were incurred.

For some assets, such as telephone poles, the removal costs exceeded salvage value. Under the provisions of SFAS No. 143, we are required to exclude costs of removal from our depreciation rates for assets for which the removal costs exceed salvage. Accordingly, in connection with the initial adoption of this standard on January 1, 2003, we have reversed accrued costs of removal in excess of salvage from our accumulated depreciation accounts for these assets. The adjustment was recorded as a cumulative effect of an accounting change, resulting in the recognition of a gain of $609.3 million ($369.5 million after-tax). Effective January 1, 2003, we began expensing costs of removal in excess of salvage for these assets as incurred. The ongoing impact of this change in accounting resulted in a decrease in depreciation expense and an increase in cost of services and sales, which was not material to our total operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2003.

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Employee Severance and Other Benefit Costs

In 2003, we incurred total pension, benefit and other costs related to severance activities of $338.0 million (excluding amounts allocated from affiliates).

In 2002, we incurred total pension, benefit and other costs related to severance activities of $191.7 million (excluding amounts allocated from affiliates).

The special termination benefits, curtailment and settlement of pension obligations are recorded in accordance with SFAS No. 88, “Employers’ Accounting for Settlements and Curtailments of Defined Pension Plans and for Termination Benefits” and SFAS No. 106, “Employers’ Accounting for Postretirement Benefits Other than Pensions.” Severance, special termination benefits, curtailments and settlement of pension obligations are included in selling, general and administrative expense in our statements of income. As of December 31, 2003, a total of over 2,800 employees have been separated under the 2002 and 2003 severance programs.

See Note 8 to the financial statements for additional information about our employee benefits.

WorldCom Inc.

In 2002, we recorded an impairment charge of $43.5 million driven by our financial statement exposure to WorldCom Inc. (WorldCom). This charge was recorded in selling, general and administrative expense in our statements of income.

These and other items affecting the comparison of our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002 are discussed in the following sections.

OPERATING REVENUES

(Dollars in Millions)

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LOCAL SERVICES

Local service revenues are earned from the provision of local exchange, local private line, wire maintenance, voice messaging and value-added services. Value-added services are a family of services that expand the utilization of the network, including products such as Caller ID, Call Waiting and Return Call. The provision of local exchange services not only includes retail revenues, but also includes local wholesale revenues from unbundled network elements (UNEs), interconnection revenues from competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) and wireless carriers, and some data transport revenues.

Local service revenues declined in 2003 primarily due to lower demand and usage of our basic local exchange and accompanying services, as reflected by a decline in switched access lines in service of 5.4% from a year ago. This decline was mainly driven by the effects of competition, regulatory pricing rules for UNEs and technology substitution. Regulatory pricing rules for UNEs, which mandate lower prices from other carriers that use our facilities to provide local exchange services, are putting downward pressure on our revenues by shifting the mix of access lines from retail to wholesale. These decreases were partially offset by the impact of sales of packaged wireline services as a result of expanded new products and pricing plans.

NETWORK ACCESS SERVICES

Network access service revenues are earned from end-user subscribers and from long distance and other competing carriers who use our local exchange facilities to provide usage services to their customers. Switched access revenues are derived from fixed and usage-based charges paid by carriers for access to our local network. Special access revenues originate from carriers and end-users that buy dedicated local exchange capacity to support their private networks. End-user access revenues are earned from our customers and from resellers who purchase dial-tone services. Further, network access revenues include digital subscriber line (DSL) services.

The decrease in network access revenues in 2003 was mainly attributable to a decline in subscriber line revenues, as well as a decline in switched minutes of use of 10.6%, from a year ago, reflecting the impact of access line loss and wireless substitution. In addition, the effect of mandated price reductions and other regulatory decisions further contributed to the decrease in network access revenues in 2003.

The FCC regulates the rates that we charge long distance carriers and end-user customers for interstate access services. We are required to file new access rates with the FCC each year. See “Other Matters – FCC Regulation and Interstate Rates” for additional information on FCC rulemakings concerning federal access rates, universal service and unbundling of network elements.

LONG DISTANCE SERVICES

Long distance revenues are earned primarily from calls made to points outside a customer’s local calling area, but within our service area (intraLATA toll). IntraLATA toll calls originate and terminate within the same LATA, but generally cover a greater distance than a local call. These services are regulated by state regulatory commissions except where they cross state lines. Other long distance services that we provide include 800 services and Wide Area Telephone Service (WATS). We also earn revenue from private line and operator services associated with long distance calls.

Long distance service revenues declined in 2003 primarily due to the effects of lower access line growth, technology substitution, as well as the impact of sales of packaged wireline services which include expanded product offerings and pricing plans.

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OTHER SERVICES