Verizon Wireless To Sponsor Hispanic Events At The Aragon Ballroom In Chicago

CHICAGO, IL — Verizon Wireless today announced an agreement with Viva Entertainment Group to become the exclusive wireless sponsor of the popular Hispanic events produced by the Aragon Ballroom, including concerts, dances, boxing matches and more. Through this sponsorship, Verizon Wireless seeks to increase its presence in Chicago's Hispanic community and to raise awareness of its Hispanic-focused products and services.

"We are delighted to be affiliated with this historic venue and to further demonstrate our commitment to Chicago's Hispanic community," said Miguel Bassaíl, Verizon Wireless' manager of multicultural marketing in the Midwest Area. "Our company is dedicated to serving the interests of our Hispanic customers, and many of the Hispanic artists performing at the Aragon are featured in our V CAST Music service, so this partnership is very synergistic."

The sponsorship extends over a one-year period, from March 2007 through February 2008. Financial provisions of the sponsorship were not disclosed. Under the agreement, Verizon Wireless will have a wealth of brand integration elements, inclusion in the media promotions of all applicable events, a 10x10 demonstration booth at each Hispanic event, general admission and VIP tickets, celebrity meet-and-greets and unique opportunities such as text-to-screen that will allow wireless phone users to send text messages to be displayed on video screens in the venue. Verizon Wireless also will have high-profile signage throughout the Aragon Ballroom as well as a host of other promotional and hospitality opportunities.

As part of the sponsorship, Verizon Wireless has reserved the venue to host the company's second annual Mother's Day Concert, which will bring popular Hispanic talent to the community for an event benefiting Chicago's Casa Central domestic violence program. This year's Mother's Day Concert is scheduled for Saturday, May 12.

"Verizon Wireless has been an enormous contributor to the Hispanic community in Chicago," said Luis Rossi, an owner of the Aragon Ballroom and CEO of the Viva Marketing Group, the marketing branch of the Viva Entertainment Group. "The Aragon Ballroom is honored to partner with such an outstanding sponsor, a corporation that regularly gives back to the Hispanic community through charitable contributions; the hiring of diverse, bilingual staff to support the Hispanic consumer; and the production of events such as the Mother's Day Concert."

The Aragon Ballroom sponsorship is just one of numerous efforts that Verizon Wireless has made in the past several years to expand its products and services targeted at Hispanic consumers in Chicago and nationwide.

In 2006, the company launched its V CAST Music service, which includes a Latino genre featuring nearly 70,000 songs from popular Latino artists. Also last year, the company upgraded its V CAST Video service, which now features a Latino category, offering on demand video clips including unique Spanish-language content from providers such as Plaza Sésamo, Sí TV, Sorpresa and Viva Vision. Verizon Wireless' popular Ring Tones and Ringback Tones also include Latin and Reggaetón categories.

In 2005, Verizon Wireless opened its first bilingual Telesales Center serving customers in the company's Midwest Area, bringing new jobs to the Little Village community and providing Hispanics with increased convenience and accessibility to the company's products and services. In 2007, the company continues its aggressive hiring of bilingual employees to fill positions at more than 32 retail locations that serve predominantly Hispanic communities in Chicagoland, as well as at the company's Customer Service Center in Elgin, which offers Spanish-language customer support.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving more than 59 million customers. The largest US wireless company and largest wireless data provider, based on revenues, Verizon Wireless is headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 65,000 employees nationwide. The company 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 preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

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