Back to GetFilings.com

Table of Contents

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 1-6875

VERIZON MARYLAND INC.

One East Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202

Telephone number: (410) 539-9900

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

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

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

PART I

Item 1. Business

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

GENERAL

Verizon Maryland Inc. is incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland. We are a wholly owned subsidiary of Verizon Communications Inc. (Verizon).

We presently serve a territory consisting of Local Access and Transport Areas (LATAs) in Maryland. 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 5,600 employees. Approximately 86% 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 state 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 March 19, 2003, the FCC released an order approving our application for permission to enter the in-region long distance market in Maryland. In-region long distance is being offered 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.

1

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

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. 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.

2

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

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 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

In 1996, the Public Service Commission of Maryland approved a price cap plan for regulating the intrastate services provided by us. Under the plan, services are divided into six categories: Access; Basic-Residential; Basic-Business; Discretionary; Competitive; and Miscellaneous. Rates for Access, Basic-Residential, Basic-Business and Discretionary Services can be increased or decreased annually under a formula that is based upon changes in the GDP-PI minus a productivity offset based upon changes in the rate of inflation as reflected in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Rates for Competitive Services may be increased without regulatory limits. Regulation of profits is eliminated. The Public Service Commission of Maryland is currently reviewing the incentive regulation plan. We have sought to eliminate the price cap formula and to move all business services into the competitive category.

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 jurisdiction. The 1996 Act has significantly increased the level of competition in our local exchange markets.

3

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

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. Our state regulatory commission permits 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.

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.

4

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

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 state of Maryland, 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. Substantially all of 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 $345 million in 2003, $448 million in 2002 and $657 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 $8.0 billion at December 31, 2003 and $8.0 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).)

PART II

Not applicable.

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

5

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations

    (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 Maryland Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Verizon Communications Inc. (Verizon). We presently serve a territory consisting of Local Access and Transport Areas (LATAs) in the state of Maryland. 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 Public Service Commission of Maryland (PSC) 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 plan, 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.

6

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

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 Services 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, Verizon.

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

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

We reported net income of $232.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2003, compared to net income of $268.1 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 $167.6 million ($101.3 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 expense for the year ended December 31, 2003.

7

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

Employee Severance and Other Benefit Costs

In 2003, we incurred total pension, benefit and other costs related to severance activities of $182.2 million (excluding amounts allocated from affiliates).

In 2002, we incurred total pension, benefit and other costs related to severance activities of $102.7 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 1,400 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 $14.8 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)

8

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

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 1.5% from a year ago. This decline was mainly driven by the effects of regulatory pricing rules for UNEs and technology substitution. Regulatory pricing rules for UNEs are shifting the mix of access lines from retail to wholesale, resulting in price reductions and more competition for local exchange services. 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 8.8%, 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. These decreases were partially offset by increased demand for DSL services 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 the Public Service Commission of Maryland 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 increased in 2003 primarily due to the impact of sales of packaged wireline services which include expanded product offerings and pricing plans. This increase was partially offset by the effects of lower access line growth and technology substitution.

9

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

OTHER SERVICES

Our other services include such services as billing and collections for long distance carriers and affiliates, facilities rentals to affiliates and nonaffiliates, public (pay) telephone, customer premises equipment (CPE) and sales of materials and supplies to affiliates. Other service revenues also include fees paid by customers for nonpublication of telephone numbers, multiple white page listings and late payment of bills, and fees paid by an affiliate for usage of our directory listings.

Other service revenues decreased in 2003 primarily due to lower billing and collection revenues from other carriers and a decline in public telephone revenues as more customers substituted wireless communications for pay telephone services.

OPERATING EXPENSES

(Dollars in Millions)

COST OF SERVICES AND SALES

Cost of services and sales includes the following costs directly attributable to a service or product: salaries and wages, benefits, materials and supplies, contracted services, network access and transport costs, customer provisioning costs, computer systems support and cost of products sold. Aggregate customer care costs, which include billing and service provisioning, are allocated between cost of services and sales and selling, general and administrative expense. Cost of sales and services includes allocated costs from affiliates.

The increase in cost of services and sales in 2003 was mainly driven by lower net pension and other postretirement benefit income. The company participates in Verizon’s defined pension plan and postretirement health care and life insurance plans. As of December 31, 2002, Verizon changed key employee benefit plan assumptions in response to conditions in the securities markets at that time and medical and prescription drug cost trends. The expected rates of return on pension plan assets and other postretirement benefit plan assets were changed from 9.25% in 2002 to 8.50% in 2003. The discount rate assumption was lowered from 7.25% in 2002 to 6.75% in 2003 and the medical cost trend rate assumption was 10.00% in 2003 and 11.00% in 2002. As a result of extending and increasing limits (caps) on company payments toward retiree health care costs in connection with the union contracts ratified in the fourth quarter of 2003, we began recording retiree health care costs as if there were no caps in the fourth quarter of 2003. The overall impact of these assumption changes, combined with the impact of lower than expected actual asset returns over the past three years, reduced pension income, net of postretirement benefit expenses (primarily in cost of services and sales), compared to 2002. During 2003, we recorded pension income, net of postretirement benefit expenses (after consideration of capitalized costs) of approximately $38 million, compared to $96 million in 2002. The impact of additional overtime pay due to higher weather-related repair volumes and contingency costs to maintain operational readiness during recent labor negotiations further contributed to cost increases in 2003. Higher costs allocated from affiliates further contributed to the increase in cost of services and sales expense in 2003.

These cost increases were partially offset by lower access and transport costs. As part of our ongoing review of local interconnection expense charged by CLECs, we determined that selected charges from CLECs, previously recorded as expense but not paid, were no longer required and, accordingly, we adjusted our first quarter 2003 operating expenses. In addition, effective in 2003, we recognize as local interconnection expense no more than the amount payable under the April 27, 2001 FCC order addressing intercarrier compensation for dial-up connections for Internet-bound traffic.

See “Other Matters – Intercarrier Compensation” for additional information on FCC rulemakings and other court decisions addressing intercarrier compensation for dial-up connections for Internet-bound traffic.

10

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSE

Selling, general and administrative expense (SG&A) includes salaries and wages and benefits not directly attributable to a service or product, bad debt charges, taxes other than income, advertising and sales commission costs, customer billing, call center and information technology costs, professional service fees, and rent for administrative space. Aggregate customer care costs, which include billing and service provisioning, are allocated between cost of services and sales and selling, general and administrative expense. SG&A expense includes allocated costs from affiliates.

The increase in SG&A expense in 2003 was driven by higher employee costs of approximately $218 million primarily attributable to higher incurred costs and allocated costs from affiliates related to severance activities, as described in “Results of Operations.” These increases were partially offset by lower bad debt expense principally due to a reduction in uncollectible accounts receivable, improved collections and additional customer deposit requirements. In the second quarter of 2002, we recorded an impairment charge driven by our financial statement exposure to WorldCom.

DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION EXPENSE

Depreciation and amortization expense decreased principally due to the effect of lower rates of depreciation, as well as the favorable impact of adopting SFAS No. 143, effective January 1, 2003. Under SFAS No. 143, we began expensing costs of removal in excess of salvage for outside plant assets as incurred. Previously, we had included costs of removal for these assets in our depreciation rates. These decreases were partially offset by growth in depreciable telephone plant and, to a lesser extent, increased software amortization costs.

OTHER RESULTS

(Dollars in Millions)

OTHER INCOME AND (EXPENSE), NET

nm – not meaningful

The change in other income and (expense) was primarily attributable to the effect of equity losses recognized in 2002 from our equity investment in Verizon Ventures III Inc. (Ventures III), an affiliated company. As a result of the reintegration of Ventures III completed on May 1, 2002, we no longer recognize equity income (loss) from this investment. (See Note 10 to the financial statements.)

11

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

INTEREST EXPENSE

The decline in interest expense in 2003, from a year ago, was primarily due to changes in the mix of short- and long-term interest rates and changes in the levels of debt during each period.

See Note 5 to the financial statements for additional information about our debt.

PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES

The effective income tax rate is the provision for income taxes as a percentage of income before provision for income taxes and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle. Our effective income tax rate was lower in 2003, as compared to 2002, primarily due to equity losses associated with our investment in Ventures III, which were recorded in 2002, for which we did not recognize income tax benefits.

You can find a reconciliation of the statutory federal income tax rate to the effective income tax rate for each period in Note 9 to the financial statements.

CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS

The following table provides a summary of our contractual obligations at December 31, 2003. Additional detail about these items is included in the notes to the financial statements.

OTHER MATTERS

In-Region Long Distance

Under the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (the 1996 Act), our ability to offer in-region long distance services (that is, services originating in the state 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 UNEs, or by interconnecting their own networks to ours. We were required to demonstrate to the FCC that our entry into the in-region long distance market would be in the public interest.

12

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

On March 19, 2003, the FCC released an order approving our application for permission to enter the in-region long distance market in Maryland. Since April 15, 2003, in-region long distance is being offered 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 related matters. In 2003, the FCC continued to implement reforms to the interstate access charge system and to implement the “universal service” and other requirements of the 1996 Act.

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. 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).

13

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

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 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.

Subsequent Event

On February 2, 2004, we declared and paid a dividend in the amount of $70.0 million to our parent, Verizon.

14

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

We are exposed to interest rate risk in the normal course of our business. The majority of our debt is fixed rate debt and we did not have any derivatives as of December 31, 2003 and 2002. Our short-term borrowings from an affiliate expose our earnings to changes in short-term interest rates since the interest rate charged on such borrowings is typically fixed for less than one month.

The following table summarizes the fair values of our long-term debt as of December 31, 2003 and 2002. The table also provides a sensitivity analysis of the estimated fair values of these financial instruments assuming 100-basis-point upward and downward parallel shifts in the yield curve. The sensitivity analysis did not include the fair values of our short-term borrowings from an affiliate since they are not significantly affected by changes in market interest rates.

The information required by this Item is set forth on Pages F-1 through F-25.

Not applicable.

Our chief executive officer and chief financial officer have evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), as of the end of the period covered by this annual report, that ensure that information relating to the registrant which is required to be disclosed in this report is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within required time periods. Based on this evaluation, which disclosed no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses, they have concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures were adequate and effective to ensure that material information relating to the registrant and its consolidated subsidiaries would be made known to them by others within those entities, particularly during the fourth quarter of 2003 was being prepared. There were no significant changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting during the fourth quarter of 2003 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, internal control over financial reporting.

PART III

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

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

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

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

15

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

The Audit and Finance Committee of Verizon serves the audit committee function for us.

Fees for services provided to us by Ernst & Young LLP, our independent auditor, during 2003 and 2002 were as follows:

Verizon’s Audit and Finance Committee has established policies and procedures regarding pre-approval of all services provided by the independent auditor. At the beginning of the fiscal year, the Committee pre-approves the engagement of the independent auditor to provide audit services based on fee estimates. The Committee also pre-approves proposed audit-related services, tax services and other permissible services, based on specified project and service details, fee estimates, and aggregate fee limits for each service category. The Committee receives a report at each meeting on the status of services provided or to be provided by the independent auditor and the related fees.

16

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

PART IV

(1) Financial Statements

See Index to Financial Statements and Financial Statement Schedule appearing on Page F-1.

(2) Financial Statement Schedules

See Index to Financial Statements and Financial Statement Schedule appearing on Page F-1.

(3) Exhibits

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), are incorporated herein by reference as exhibits hereto.

17

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

18

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

Index to Financial Statements and Financial Statement Schedule

Financial statement schedules other than those listed above have been omitted because such schedules are not required or applicable.

F-1

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

The Board of Directors and Shareowner

Verizon Maryland Inc.

We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of Verizon Maryland Inc. (the Company) as of December 31, 2003 and 2002, and the related statements of income, changes in shareowner’s investment, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2003. Our audits also included the financial statement schedule referenced in the index at Item 15(a). These financial statements and the financial statement schedule are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and the financial statement schedule based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Verizon Maryland Inc. at December 31, 2003 and 2002, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2003, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Also, in our opinion, the related financial statement schedule, when considered in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly in all material respects the information set forth therein.

As discussed in Note 2 to the financial statements, the Company changed its methods of accounting for stock-based compensation and asset retirement obligations effective January 1, 2003.

/s/Ernst & Young LLP

New York, New York

January 29, 2004

F-2

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

STATEMENTS OF INCOME

For the Years Ended December 31

(Dollars in Millions)

See Notes to Financial Statements.

F-3

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

BALANCE SHEETS

(Dollars in Millions)

ASSETS

See Notes to Financial Statements.

F-4

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

BALANCE SHEETS

(Dollars in Millions)

LIABILITIES AND SHAREOWNER’S INVESTMENT

See Notes to Financial Statements.

F-5

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREOWNER’S INVESTMENT

For the Years Ended December 31

(Dollars in Millions)

See Notes to Financial Statements.

F-6

Table of Contents

Verizon Maryland Inc.

STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

For the Years Ended December 31

(Dollars in Millions)