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The announcement comes about a year after the company suspended its fiber-to-the premises deployment plans for New Jersey over complaints about the state’s regulatory environment.New York City”s Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) said Wednesday it will roll out a fiber-optic network that will deliver faster data speeds and crystal-clear voice service to residence and business customers in 24 New Jersey communities.The announcement comes about a year after the company suspended its fiber-to-the premises (FTTP) deployment plans for New Jersey over complaints that the regulatory environment in the state did not compare favorably with the other states competing for significant new investment.In a press release, Verizon New Jersey President Dennis Bone said things are beginning to change. “We have always said that New Jersey is a great market, and we want to offer this transformational technology here,” he said.The 24 communities where the project is underway are: Allendale, Alpine, Closter, Demarest, Franklin Lakes, Harrington Park, Mahwah, Northvale, Norwood, Oakland, Old Tappan, Ramsey, Rockleigh, Westwood and Wyckoff in Bergen County; the city of Passaic; Ewing, Lawrence and Pennington in Mercer County; Mendham Township and Rockaway Boro in Morris County; Tinton Falls in Monmouth County and Evesham and Medford in Burlington County.Acting Governor Richard J. Codey welcomed Verizon”s announcement. “Verizon”s decision to build its fiber-optic network in our state is a win for all of New Jersey,” Codey said. “This investment will not only improve existing services for New Jersey”s businesses and residents, it will also create new jobs and new opportunities for the state.”The announcement brings to 14 the number of states where Verizon has begun building its FTTP network. Other states are California, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Virginia. To help build the network across the country, Verizon said it will hire between 3,000 and 5,000 new employees, including hundreds in New Jersey.Verizon said its all-fiber system is capable of carrying a competitive choice to the existing cable television providers. The company, however, noted that it will seek a franchise agreement before offering cable television service in a selected community.At the close of trading, Verizon shares were up $0.04 to $36.14.