Now Playing On A Cell Phone Near You: Video Clips, Music Videos And 3D Games

BEDMINSTER, NJ — When it launches tomorrow, V CAST from Verizon Wireless will break all preconceived notions about wireless multimedia services. The nation's first 3G wireless broadband multimedia service for consumers, V CAST delivers crystal clear short content on-demand, live-action 3D games, music videos, and much more to wireless phones. The quality of the service is matched only by the popularity of the content being offered: Verizon Wireless is presenting premier news and entertainment sources from the leading content providers in the nation — and from around the globe — making V CAST an indispensable new infotainment resource for all types of consumers.

Starting tomorrow, V CAST customers will be able to use new wireless phones for applications only dreamed of a year ago: watch video clips from "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart"; receive video news updates from NBC News and political analyses from Tim Russert of Meet the Press; view highlights from premiere sporting events like FOX NFL Sunday from Jacksonville; immerse themselves in Spider-Man 2 3D: NY Rooftops, a game inspired from scenes in the Spider-Man 2 motion picture from Sony Pictures; and also download hot music videos from Warner Music Group artists like Simple Plan, My Chemical Romance and The Used.

V CAST is available via new 3G phones that run on the Verizon Wireless broadband EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized) 3G network, delivering the fastest wide-area wireless data experience in the nation today. The V CAST coverage area, which mirrors Verizon Wireless' EV-DO network, is available in more than 30 major metropolitan markets and covers more than 75 million people.

"What wireless broadband means for consumers is a whole new wireless experience," said Denny Strigl, president and chief executive officer of Verizon Wireless. "This will be the year that consumers look at their wireless phones as a must-have multi-functional entertainment device, as well as something that's indispensable for staying in touch. Now our customers can turn to their phones purely for entertainment value, with their favorite music, movies, news and games traveling with them. Unlike other wireless video and multimedia services available today, our V CAST service is fast, clear and cutting edge — the Verizon Wireless network makes this possible."

V CAST VPak Pricing
For $15.00 monthly access added to their Verizon Wireless calling plan, customers get the V CAST VPak which includes unlimited access to a wide array of more than 300 daily updated video clips from leading news, sports, weather and entertainment content providers. Unlimited basic short content is included, but application download fees still apply for 3D games, premium short content, and all other Get It Now® applications. There are no airtime charges to download, stream or watch V CAST content. For a limited time, customers who sign up for V CAST receive two months of service free. Customers can also download, stream or watch premium short content, available at additional cost that will include music videos and more. Verizon Wireless V CAST customers also receive monthly access and unlimited browsing on Verizon Wireless' Mobile Web 2.0^SM news and information service.

V CAST Content
V CAST offers customers mobile news, weather, entertainment and 3D games — all in the palms of their hands — from the following categories:

Short Content Video

News:

• NBC Mobile (NBC Universal) — interview excerpts, weather updates and political analysis from NBC News personalities.
• CNNtoGO Video (Cable News Network) — hourly news updates and short content from CNN NewsPass and CNN Now in the News (formerly CNN Quickcast).
•  MarketWatch (Dow Jones & Company) — business and financial news with market updates, features and interviews.

Weather:

• AccuWeather (Accuweather.com) — national, regional and localized forecasts and breaking weather news.

Sports:

• ESPN (ESPN) — college basketball and football highlights, sports news and information, game analysis and reporting from ESPN experts and personalities.
• FOX Sports (Fox Sports Interactive Media) — FOX NFL Sunday from Jacksonville, video clips from "Best Damn Sports Show Period," "I, Max," "Beyond the Glory" and extensive pre- and post-game coverage and interviews.

Entertainment:

• VH1 (MTV Networks) — including short content from "Best Week Ever."
• Comedy Central (MTV Networks) — including short content from "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart."
• E! Entertainment Television (E! Entertainment Television) — short content from E! News, The Awful Truth®, Fashion Police^TM, Watch with Kristin, Red Carpet Moments, E! TV Highlights, Wild On!® and more.
• Just For Laughs (Airborne) — Just For Laughs Gags, Just For Laughs Offbeat and Just For Laughs Stand-Up Series.
• Sesame Street (Sesame Workshop) — memorable clips and classic songs featuring the Muppets^TM from Sesame Street.
• CinemaElectric (CinemaElectric) — extreme sports, Hollywood and fashion show catwalks video clips.
• V CAST Showcase (Verizon Wireless) includes a variety of short content: movie previews, DVD previews and short content from network television daytime and prime time programs. V CAST Showcase also features Mobile Shows, such as:
• "24 Conspiracy," available February 7 (Twentieth Century Fox Television)
• "Sunset Hotel" available February 9 (Twentieth Television)
• "Love & Hate" available February 10 (Twentieth Television)
• Music Videos (Warner Music Group) — from new stars and legendary artists. Music Videos on V CAST are premium content, available for $3.99 per music video. Titles rotate weekly; 11 titles will be available on February 1, including:
• My Chemical Romance - I'm Not Okay (I Promise)
• The Used - All That I've Got
• Crime Mob - Knuck If You Buck
• Sean Paul - Like Glue
• Simple Plan - Welcome To My Life
• Story Of The Year - Until The Day I Die

3D Games

• Asphalt: Urban GT (Gameloft) — $2.99 monthly access or $9.99 for unlimited use purchase.
• AMF Bowling (Vir2L Studios and Superscape) — $2.49 monthly access or $8.99 for unlimited use purchase.
• Evel Knievel 3D (Superscape) — $2.49 monthly access or $8.99 for unlimited use purchase.
• Disney's Kingdom Hearts 3D (WDIG) — $4.99 monthly access.
• S.W.A.T. The Movie: 3D Game (Sony Pictures) — $2.99 monthly access or $9.99 for unlimited use purchase.
• Spiderman 2 3D: NY Rooftops (Sony Pictures) — $2.99 monthly access or $9.99 for unlimited use purchase.
• JAMDAT 3D Bowling (JAMDAT) — $2.49 monthly access or $8.99 for unlimited use purchase.

V CAST's array of hot new multimedia programming is located in the Get It Now virtual store. Customers can access video from favorite news, sports and entertainment providers in the getVIDEO shopping aisle from the Get It Now main menu. Video clips will be refreshed daily throughout the day and will be between 30 seconds and three minutes in length. Customers can check out new cutting-edge 3D games in the getGAMES aisle. V CAST also gives customers monthly access and unlimited airtime to browse applications in the other familiar Get It Now shopping aisles — such as getTONES and getGOING — but application download fees still apply.

"The value of V CAST comes not only from the quality of the experience our network provides, but also from the compelling content line-up we've assembled," said John Stratton, Verizon Wireless vice president and chief marketing officer. "Our list of content providers reads like a who's who of the news, sports, entertainment and game industries. We are offering Verizon Wireless customers a wealth of popular content in the palm of their hands at an affordable price."

EV-DO 3G Network
V CAST runs on the Verizon Wireless 3G EV-DO network that is now available in more than 30 markets across the country. The Verizon Wireless 3G EV-DO network initially launched commercially with BroadbandAccess wireless Internet access service for business customers and mobile professionals. BroadbandAccess boasts average user download speeds of 300-500 kilobits per second (kbps). BroadbandAccess customers can connect via laptop to the Internet, corporate intranets, email and attachments all at high speed.

Earlier this year, Verizon Wireless executives announced plans to continue deployment of its 3G network — its BroadbandAccess and V CAST coverage areas — to cover 150 million Americans by the end of 2005.

V CAST Phones
Customers will be able to access V CAST on three hot new phones, from LG Mobile Phones, Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung) and UTStarcom Personal Communications. The featured phone is the new LG VX8000 phone — with its full-motion short content with audio streaming and downloading and playback capabilities, the LG VX8000 offers customers a rich and rewarding interactive experience. The LG VX8000 will be available for $199.99 after a $70.00 mail-in rebate with a two-year customer agreement. V CAST customers also can select from two additional V CAST phones, including the Samsung a890 that is available for $249.99 after a $70 rebate with a two-year customer agreement or the CDM8940 from UTStarcom Personal Communications (formerly Audiovox Communications Corp.) available for $229.99 after a $70 rebate with a two-year customer agreement.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.  

(EDITORS NOTE: Broadcast-quality B-Roll and high-resolution stills of V CAST from Verizon Wireless are available online. Log on to Verizon Wireless' Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia to preview and request video segments, which can be received in newsrooms digitally, by tape or via satellite, or to request images.)

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 43.8 million voice and data 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 www.verizonwireless.com.  To receive broadcast-quality video footage of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.  

NOTE: This press release contains statements about expected future events and financial results that are forward-looking and subject to risks and uncertainties. For those statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The following important factors could affect future results and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements: materially adverse changes in economic conditions in the markets served by us, an adverse change in the ratings afforded our debt securities or those of Verizon Communications by nationally accredited ratings organizations, the effects of the substantial competition that exists in our markets, which has been intensifying, and which may intensify further as a result of local number portability regulations that allow wireless customers to retain their phone numbers when switching wireless service providers, our ability to obtain sufficient financing to satisfy our substantial capital requirements, including to fund capital expenditures, debt repayment and distributions to our owners, our ability to obtain sufficient spectrum licenses, particularly in our most densely populated areas, our ability to develop future business opportunities, including wireless data services, and to continue to adapt to the changing conditions in the wireless industry, our ability to receive satisfactory service from our key vendors and suppliers, our ability to generate additional subscribers, with acceptable levels of churn, from resellers and distributors of our service, material changes in available technology, and technology substitution that could impact the popularity and usage of our technology, our continued provision of satisfactory service to our subscribers at an acceptable cost, in order to reduce churn, the impact of continued unionization efforts with respect to our employees, regulatory developments, including new regulations that could increase our cost of doing business or reduce demand for our services, developments in connection with existing or future litigation, and changes in our accounting assumptions that regulatory agencies, including the SEC, may require or that result from changes in the accounting rules or their application, which could result in an impact on earnings.

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