Verizon Wireless Announces New Orleans Limitless Local^sm Calling Plan

NEW ORLEANS, LA — Verizon Wireless announces the launch of a unique new rate plan for the Gulf Coast. The New Orleans Limitless Local^sm plan offers wireless users unlimited local airtime for only $49.99 per month, effective October 1, 2000.

The new plan offers unlimited minutes when used in the Limitless Local Coverage area, which includes the greater New Orleans area and Northshore communities of Mandeville, Covington and Slidell. It also includes toll free calling to anywhere in the 504 and 985 area codes (effective February 2001). Any calls outside of the 504 area code are billed a low $0.10 per minute long distance rate.

The Verizon Wireless New Orleans Limitless Local^sm plan includes the following features at no additional charge: voice mail (with English or Spanish prompts), caller ID, call waiting, call waiting ID, call forwarding and 3-way calling. Other features available with Verizon Wireless are Mobile Web, Road Rescue and Connection Protection for a monthly charge.

"We are excited to bring another Verizon Wireless innovation to the New Orleans area," said Mark Charles, President, Gulf Coast Region. "The New Orleans Limitless Local^sm Plan gives people who live, work and play in the New Orleans area a great reason to go wireless at an affordable price. Wireless usage is about convenience and we expect this plan to make wireless even more convenient for many people".

The Verizon Wireless New Orleans Limitless Localsm plan is available to all customers with approved credit or specified deposits. Digital and analog roaming are permitted for $0.99 per minute outside of the designated coverage area. This rate plan is available in the New Orleans area at all Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and authorized retailers.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless communications provider in the U.S. with more than 16 million wireless voice and data customers and nearly 4 million paging customers. The new coast-to-coast wireless provider was formed by the combination of the U.S. wireless businesses of Bell Atlantic Corp. (NYSE:BEL) and Vodafone AirTouch Plc (LSE:VOD; NYSE:VOD). The new company includes the assets of Bell Atlantic Mobile, AirTouch Cellular, PrimeCo Personal Communications and AirTouch Paging. Verizon Wireless will be further strengthened by the addition of the wireless assets of GTE Corp. (NYSE:GTE) when it completes its merger with Bell Atlantic. When the merger is complete, the new company will have a footprint covering nearly 90 percent of the U.S. population, 49 of the top 50 and 96 of the top 100 U.S. markets. Verizon Wireless, headquartered in New York City and Bedminster, NJ, is 30,000 employees strong. Reporters and editors can find more information about the company in its Media Center on the Web at: http://www.verizonwireless.com/mediacenter.

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