Verizon Wireless Jumpstarts Smartphone Market

WOBURN, MA — Taking the lead among wireless carriers, Verizon Wireless announced today that it is launching the nation's first wireless service for the new generation of smart phone—a Web ready, Palm-powered wireless handset that combines the best of a personal digital assistant (PDA) with the ubiquitous connectivity of a wireless phone.

Verizon Wireless is giving its customers the chance to be first-on-the-block with the smartest PDA/wireless phone on the market. The Kyocera 6035 will be available to consumers in most Verizon Wireless Communication Stores on Monday, March 5, 2001. The dual-branded handset features wireless Web access, a large screen and supports the installation of hundreds of applications compatible with Palm OS® software. The tri-mode handset supports CDMA digital PCS, CDMA digital cellular and analog. Combined with the most extensive network across the United States, Verizon Wireless customers can be connected virtually anywhere. The Smartphone is expected to retail at $499 with a one-year service contract.

The Kyocera 6035 has the ability to support thousands of Palm-certified software applications, giving users the ability to:

• Utilize Palm's powerful electronic organizer
• Send and retrieve email
• Manage secure, online transactions
• Play games
• Access several mapping programs
• Read e-books
• Edit and read spreadsheet and word processing programs, including Excel and Word
• View pictures with an electronic camera

"We are offering our customers the ultimate in convenience and functionality—a powerful PDA and a wireless phone in a single package that is small enough to fit in a suit or coat pocket," said Robert Stott, president of Verizon Wireless' New England Region. "Our customers look to Verizon Wireless for innovation and leadership and we are excited to be the first carrier to bring them an entirely new way to stay connected."

With Verizon Wireless' Mobile Web and now as the first carrier to offer wireless service for smart phones, Verizon Wireless customers have two options for how they access Web-based information while they are on-the-go.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless communications provider in the U.S. with 27.5 million wireless voice and data customers. The new coast-to-coast wireless provider was formed by the combination of the U.S. wireless businesses of Bell Atlantic Corp. and GTE Corp -- now Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) -- and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). The new company includes the assets of Bell Atlantic Mobile, AirTouch Cellular, GTE Wireless, PrimeCo Personal Communications and AirTouch Paging. The company has 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 Bedminster, NJ, is 38,000 employees strong. Reporters and editors can find more information about the company on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com.

####