Verizon Wireless' High-Speed Wireless Data Network Available Today In More Than 300 Cities

BEDMINSTER, NJ — Since its national launch this spring, the Verizon Wireless Express Network^SM has awed customers with its performance, speed and availability. This robust and expansive high-speed wireless data network is available today in more than 300 cities and towns throughout the U.S.-from coast to coast, the North to the South and in the West and Midwest.

The Verizon Wireless Express Network is the country's fastest national high-speed wireless data network. The company continues to extend its commanding lead in the high-speed wireless data market by constantly growing Express Network availability, giving value to its customers while stimulating demand for innovative services and driving market penetration of high-speed data services.

"With the launch of our world-class Express Network, we are receiving tremendously positive responses from customers across the country. There's no substitute for the hard work by our top-notch engineers, the extensive training undertaken by our sales force and customer service personnel, and the solid foundation that created the best wireless network in the nation," said John Stratton, vice president and chief marketing officer of Verizon Wireless.

For business or pleasure, Express Network service from Verizon Wireless is one way to ease some of life's anxieties with a fast, wireless connection to the Internet. Customers attending a convention in Las Vegas can log on to help stave the glut of emails they will have to answer upon return to the office. Vacationing customers can get on the Internet to search for golf courses when they're in Florida, look up museum hours when they are in our nation's capitol, or to find directions to southern California's shopping hot spots. Or an attorney en route to a deposition can pull a file from the firm's server that he forgot to pack.

One contributing reason Verizon Wireless customers have been so enthusiastic about Express Network is that the company has set realistic expectations and delivered on them. Customers can expect average data transmission speeds between 40 and 60 kilobits per second (kbps) with bursts up to 144 kbps - similar to or better than speeds users experience when dialing in from their home PC.

Others who closely follow the wireless industry have been impressed by Verizon Wireless'market strategy. "By launching 1XRTT service - rather than press releases - first to Wall Street and Silicon Valley, Verizon Wireless justifiably lays claim to a leadership position in the wireless industry commensurate with its market position." said Scott Ellison, Program Director, Wireless and Mobile, IDC.

Andrew Seybold, Industry Analyst and Editor-in-Chief of the Forbes/Andrew Seybold's Wireless Outlook newsletter said, " I have been using Verizon Wireless' Express Network for a few months now, and it has given me a new freedom with access to my corporate email and information that until now was painfully slow using a standard dial-up connection."

Express Network customers have a choice of affordable equipment options to best suit their individual needs for personal or business use. The device options on the market today have been field tested and refined, helping to deliver a consistently high quality Express Network experience for Verizon Wireless customers. The Verizon Wireless 2235 handset from Kyocera, the VX1 from LG and the 9155-GPX from Audiovox, are compact high-speed wireless phone options that function as a modem. When these phones are used with a compatible Mobile Office connectivity kit, sold separately, and laptop, customers can access the Express Network. For customers who prefer the form factor of a PC card, the AirCard 555 from Sierra Wireless can be used with laptops and select PDAs. For the newest Express Network experience, the recently launched Thera is the latest Windows Powered Pocket PC and dual-band wireless phone.

Verizon Wireless offers a variety of pricing structures, including a plan that offers unlimited Express Network usage for a flat rate of $99.99 per month, with some restrictions. Other plans, based on voice or data usage are available for $35, $55 and $75 per month for 150, 400 and 600 minutes of connection. For business customers, Verizon Wireless offers per megabyte pricing - $35 monthly access for 10 MB, $55 monthly access for 20 MB, and $75 monthly access for 40 MB of Express Network data sent and received.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless is the nation's leading provider of wireless communications. The company has the largest nationwide wireless voice and data network and 30.3 million customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com.

Download the Express Network Available Locations

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jeffrey Nelson
Verizon Wireless
908-306-4824 (office)
917-968-9175 (mobile)
Jeffrey.Nelson@verizonwireless.com

Midwest Area
(Kansas/Missouri/Michigan/Indiana/Kentucky/ Ohio/Central Pennsylvania/Pittsburgh/West Virginia/Illinois/Wisconsin/ North Dakota/South Dakota/Minnesota/Iowa/Nebraska)
David Clevenger
847-619-4291
David.Clevenger@VerizonWireless.com

Northeast Area
(New England/New York/Washington/Baltimore/Virginia/Philadelphia)
Howard Waterman
973-656-7370
Howard.Waterman@VerizonWireless.com

South Area
(Georgia/Alabama/ Texas/Louisiana/Mississippi/Florida/ North Carolina/South Carolina/Tennessee)
Sheryl Sellaway
678-339-5564
Sheryl.Sellaway@VerizonWireless.com

West Area
(California/Hawaii/Washington/Nevada/ Arizona/Colorado/ Idaho/Montana/El Paso/New Mexico/Oregon/Utah/Wyoming)
Jan Morris
949-286-8150
Jan.Morris@VerizonWireless.com

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