Verizon And Vodafone Team Up To Deliver The First Live Global Mobile Simulcast Of Madonna Performance At Roseland Ballroom On April 30 In New York City

BASKING RIDGE, NJ, and NEWBURY, UK — Verizon Wireless and Vodafone announced they are teaming up to deliver the first ever live global mobile simulcast, with performances from Madonna's exclusive up-close and personal show at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City where she will debut songs from her new "HARD CANDY" CD. On April 30 (morning of May 1 in the UK), Verizon Wireless and Vodafone will broadcast four songs live from Madonna's historic performance. Available exclusively in the U.S. to Verizon Wireless V CAST Music customers and in Cyprus, Egypt, France (SFR), Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Romania, South Africa (Vodacom), Spain, and UK to Vodafone customers, this mobile broadcast will reach hundreds of millions of Madonna fans via their mobile phones, celebrating the release of Madonna's 11th studio album for Warner Bros. Records, "HARD CANDY." The mobile broadcast is currently scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. EST via Verizon Wireless V CAST Performances and 3 a.m. GMT on May 1 on Vodafone Live. The four songs will be archived on the V CAST Performances channel so fans that are unable to join live can enjoy this exclusive performance for 30 days.

"Madonna is truly one of the most iconic artists of our time, and together with Vodafone we are proud to deliver our customers the first global simulcast of this exclusive performance to fans across the world via their mobile phones," said Ed Ruth, director of digital music for Verizon.

"As a leader in the digital music industry we're providing our customers closer access to music from top artists and events, allowing them to enjoy their favorite content both on their PCs and mobile phones," said Frank Rovekamp, global chief marketing officer, Vodafone Group. "Vodafone's strategy is to offer different music flavors and innovative formats allowing customers to experience music on their mobile in any way they wish."

"HARD CANDY" is the follow up to Madonna's "CONFESSIONS ON A DANCE FLOOR" which debuted at number one in 30 countries and has sold more than 8 million copies to date. "HARD CANDY" has been described as a brilliant up-tempo collection of 12 songs in which Madonna remains ensconced in club mode, but this time adds an urban hip-hop beat in collaboration with musical partners Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes, and Nate "Danja" Hills.

Verizon Wireless customers will be among the handful of lucky winners who will attend the Roseland Ballroom show. Fans who downloaded the full-song, ringtone or ringback tone of Timbaland's exclusive mobile underground remix of "4 Minutes" through Verizon Wireless' V CAST Music service had a chance to win a mobile ticket to this exclusive Madonna performance. The lucky winners received tickets on their mobile phones, which will admit them and one friend to Roseland on Wednesday evening. For more information, visit www.vzmobilestudio.com/madonna.  

Madonna, a multi GRAMMY® Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, cultural icon, world-renowned stage performer, video visionary, children's book author, director, and documentary filmmaker, has sold 200 million albums in the course of her unprecedented two decade-plus career and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 10, 2008.

In addition to Madonna's original "4 Minutes" track, co-produced by Timbaland and Justin Timberlake and Nate "Danja" Hills, and the underground mobile remix available on Verizon Wireless' V CAST Music and Vodafone, exclusive video footage of Madonna, Timbaland and Justin Timberlake's mobile underground remix recording session is now available on Verizon Wireless' V CAST Video service.

For more information on how to download Timbaland's mobile underground remix of Madonna's "4 Minutes" featuring Justin Timberlake, fans can text MADONNA to 8933. For more information on V CAST Music from Verizon Wireless and the company's mobile producer in residence program, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com/music.  

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 67.2 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 69,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, go to: 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.

About Vodafone
Vodafone is the world's leading international mobile communications group with over 252 million proportionate customers as at 31st December 2007. Vodafone currently has equity interests in 25 countries across five continents and a further 41 partner networks worldwide. For more information, please visit www.vodafone.com.

####