Verizon Wireless Opens New Retail Location in Waiakea and Names Andy Tanaka Manager

HILO, HI — In response to growing demand for Verizon Wireless' communications products and services, the nation's largest wireless provider has opened its newest retail store in Waiakea. The store is located in the Waiakea Shopping Center near the Food Court. Andy Tanaka, formerly a Verizon Wireless business account executive on Oahu, will oversee the store's daily operations and manage a staff trained to meet customer needs.

Verizon Wireless will hold a grand opening at the store on Saturday, Nov. 17. Radio station KKBG will broadcast live between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., and prizes will be given away to lucky winners. Between November 17 and 25, customers can also enter to win a Deluxe Super Bowl Prize Package sponsored by Motorola, including 2 tickets to Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans.

To mark the opening of the Waiakea store, Verizon Wireless is awarding a $5,000 grant to Turning Point for Families in support of its Rural Outreach Services program on the island of Hawaii. To further support domestic violence victims, Verizon Wireless continues to collect used wireless phones at all of its stores through its HopeLine^SM phone recycling program.

"Wireless communications products and services are becoming more affordable everyday, especially with the current promotional [FREEUP] offer," said Tanaka. "Our holiday promotional [FREEUP] package includes a new Kyocera 2135 and a $15 card for just $69.99 after a $30 mail-in rebate. On top of that, customers will receive a one-time Holiday bonus of 1,000 weekend minutes that may be used until they're used up, so long as the account remains active. And, as always, there is no long-term contract required and no monthly bills with [FREEUP]."

The new retail store is another indication of the company's commitment to the Hawaii market. This year, Verizon Wireless will make $3 million in network investments on the Big Island, including network capacity enhancements that have been completed in Hilo and Kona. Plans are in place for three new digital cell sites on the Big Island by the end of the year.

The new retail location is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Closed on Sundays.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless communications provider in the U.S. with more than 28.7 million wireless voice and data customers. The coast-to-coast wireless provider was formed by the combination of the U.S. wireless businesses of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD), including Bell Atlantic Mobile, AirTouch Cellular and GTE Wireless. Verizon Wireless has a footprint covering more than 90 percent of the U.S. population, 49 of the top 50 and 97 of the top 100 U.S. markets. The company, headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, is 40,000 employees strong. Reporters and editors can find more information about the company on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com.

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