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================================================================================


                                  UNITED STATES

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT


     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                         Date of Report: August 21, 2002
                        (Date of earliest event reported)


                           VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


<Table>
<S>                                                  <C>                          <C>
               Delaware                                     1-8606                            23-2259884
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)      (Commission File Number)      (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

1095 Avenue of the Americas,
New York, New York                                                                              10036
(Address of principal executive offices)                                                      (Zip Code)
</Table>


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (212) 395-2121



                                 Not applicable
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)


================================================================================





<PAGE>

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(c)      Exhibits.

         12     Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.



                                    SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements 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.


                                              Verizon Communications Inc.
                                        ---------------------------------------
                                                    (Registrant)

Date:    August 21, 2002                         /s/ John F. Killian
      ----------------------            ---------------------------------------
                                        John F. Killian
                                        Senior Vice President and Controller



<PAGE>

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

<Table>
<Caption>
Exhibit
Number       Description
-------      -----------
<S>          <C>
12           Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
</Table>



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<FILENAME>d99378exv12.txt
<DESCRIPTION>COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
<TEXT>
<PAGE>

                                                                      EXHIBIT 12




                COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
                  Verizon Communications Inc. and Subsidiaries





<Table>
<Caption>
(Dollars in Millions)                                                                       SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2002
---------------------                                                                       ------------------------------
<S>                                                                                         <C>
Loss before provision for income taxes, extraordinary item and cumulative effect of
   accounting change                                                                             $       (820)
Minority interest                                                                                         556
Loss from unconsolidated businesses (1)                                                                 1,638
Dividends from unconsolidated businesses                                                                  145
Interest expense                                                                                        1,612
Portion of rent expense representing interest                                                             207
Amortization of capitalized interest                                                                       42
                                                                                                 ------------
Income, as adjusted                                                                              $      3,380
                                                                                                 ------------

Fixed charges:
Interest expense                                                                                 $      1,612
Portion of rent expense representing interest                                                             207
Capitalized interest                                                                                      101
Preferred stock dividend requirement                                                                        5
                                                                                                 ------------
Fixed charges                                                                                    $      1,925
                                                                                                 ------------
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges                                                                       1.76
                                                                                                 ------------
</Table>

(1)      Excludes the write-down of cost method investments of $3,266 million in
         the six months ended June 30, 2002, which reduces loss before provision
         for income taxes, extraordinary item and cumulative effect of
         accounting change. The ratio of earnings to fixed charges would have
         been 3.45 if income, as adjusted, included the write-down of cost
         method investments.



                                       1

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