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                                                                     Exhibit 3.1

                                 CERTIFICATE TO

                 AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

                                       OF

                              VERIZON FLORIDA INC.

     Verizon Florida Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws
of the State of Florida, hereby certifies as follows:

     1. The name of the corporation is Verizon Florida Inc. It was originally
incorporated under the name of Peninsular Telephone Company and was previously
known as General Telephone Company of Florida and GTE Florida Incorporated. The
date of filing of its original Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of
State was June 20, 1901.

     2. These Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation amend and restate
the text of the Restated Articles of Incorporation of the corporation to read as
herein set forth in full in Exhibit A hereto.

     3. Upon the filing of the Restated Articles of Incorporation with the
Secretary of State of the State of Florida, all of the issued and outstanding
shares of Common Stock, par value $25, of the corporation, shall be exchanged
for one share of Common Stock, without par value, of the corporation.

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     4. These Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation were duly proposed
by the Board of Directors and adopted by the sole Shareholder on August 8, 2002,
in accordance with the provisions of Sections 607.1003 and 607.1004 of the
Florida Business Corporation Act to read as set forth in full in Exhibit A
attached hereto.

     5. These Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation shall be effective
upon filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Florida.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, said Verizon Florida Inc. has caused this Certificate
to be signed by Linda K. Watson, its Assistant Secretary, this 9th day of
August, 2002.

                                               VERIZON FLORIDA INC.



                                               By
                                                  ------------------------------
                                                  Linda K. Watson
                                                  Assistant Secretary

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                                                                       EXHIBIT A

                 AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

                                       OF

                              VERIZON FLORIDA INC.


     1. The name of the corporation is Verizon Florida Inc.

     2. The name of the registered agent is C T Corporation System. The address
of the registered office is 1200 South Pine Island Road, Plantation, FL 33324.

     3. The nature of the business to be conducted or promoted is to engage in
any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the
Florida Business Corporation Act, as it may be amended from time to time, or any
successor law.

     4. The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the corporation
shall have authority to issue is one share of Common Stock, without par value.

     5. To the fullest extent that the Florida Business Corporation Act, as it
exists on the date hereof or as it may hereafter be amended, permits the
limitation or elimination of the liability of directors, no director of this
Corporation shall be liable to this Corporation or its shareholders for monetary
damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. No amendment to

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or repeal of this Article shall apply to or have any effect on the liability or
alleged liability of any director of this Corporation for or with respect to any
acts or omissions of such director occurring prior to such amendment or repeal.

     6. The corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any
provision contained in these Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, in
the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute, and all rights conferred upon
shareholders herein are granted subject to this reservation.

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