VCAST Delivers Video and 3-D Games Straight to Consumers
on Ultra-cool 3G Handsets
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Imagine the future of wireless: crystal
clear video on-demand, live-action 3-D games, news, sports, entertainment,
music videos and much more in the palm of your hand. Verizon Wireless
delivered the future of wireless today from the Consumer Electronics Show in
Las Vegas when senior Verizon Wireless executives announced the company is
launching VCAST - the nation's first third-generation (3G) wireless multimedia
service for consumers - beginning February 1, 2005. VCAST will bring high-
quality video, 3-D games and music straight to new 3G phones that will run on
the Verizon Wireless broadband EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized) 3G network,
delivering the fastest, most widely-available fully-mobile wireless data
experience in the nation today.
"3G is here - we are delivering true 3G services to our customers; this is
not a plan for services on the horizon, this is about now," said Denny Strigl,
president and chief executive officer of Verizon Wireless.
Starting February 1, Verizon Wireless customers will be able to use new
handsets to access VCAST's video on-demand service, viewing current news,
weather, sports and entertainment programming. They will also be able to
download and play cutting-edge three-dimensional games on powerful new
handsets. Customers will also be able to watch music videos and short
programs specifically designed for mobile phones and other video applications
on their handsets.
"With the launch of VCAST, Verizon Wireless is building on its reputation
for providing the most reliable and exciting wireless experience in the U.S.
VCAST establishes the gold standard for consumer wireless multimedia
services," continued Strigl. "This multi-functional service is so
entertaining and informative, so timely and cutting edge, that it gives our
customers another dimension to their wireless service."
When the service is available on February 1, customers can expect video
and games from a variety of familiar and popular sources, such as MTV
Networks' VH1 and Comedy Central brands. A relationship with News Corp. and
20th Century Fox will bring Verizon Wireless customers hot exclusive programs
- "24: Conspiracy," "Sunset Hotel" and "Love & Hate" - specifically designed
for mobile phones. A broad offering of content will also be available from
NBC, including newscasts made exclusively for mobile phones.
VCAST will be accessed through the award-winning Get It Now(R) virtual
store found on Verizon Wireless handsets.
"With VCAST, we have put together a comprehensive package of multimedia
services for consumers that will be immediately available at launch," said
John Stratton, Verizon Wireless vice president and chief marketing officer.
"This robust offering in the marketplace will take wireless to a new level,
offering Verizon Wireless customers a wealth of news, sports and entertainment
programming in the palm of their hands at an affordable price."
EV-DO 3G Network Expansion
VCAST runs on the Verizon Wireless 3G EV-DO network, which began
commercial operation in October 2003 in San Diego and Washington, D.C. 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 speeds of 300-500
kilobits per second (kbps), and enables users to remain productive and
connected whether they're at home, a meeting across town or on the road.
BroadbandAccess customers can connect via laptop to the Internet, corporate
intranet, email and attachments all at high speed.
"When we announced the rollout plans for the Verizon Wireless 3G network
one year ago at last year's Consumer Electronics Show, we said we would deploy
the technology in areas covering 75 million people, or one-third of our
network, in the United States by the end of 2004. Promise made, promise
kept," said Dick Lynch, Verizon Wireless executive vice president and chief
technical officer, in announcing new metropolitan areas to the 3G network
coverage area.
In addition to 20 previously launched metropolitan areas, the company
today announced 12 additional markets: Chicago; Houston; Boston; Phoenix;
Cincinnati; Orlando; Columbus and Dayton, OH; Providence, RI; Jacksonville,
FL; Hartford and New Haven, CT. Major expansions have been made in many
existing 3G markets, including New York City; Newark, NJ; Los Angeles;
Philadelphia; Atlanta; Miami, Tampa and West Palm Beach, FL; Baltimore, MD;
Kansas City, MO; and Milwaukee, WI areas.
(EDITORS: A complete list of markets follows this news release.)
"Today, another promise," said Dick Lynch. "We will deploy our 3G network
- our BroadbandAccess and VCAST service areas - to cover 150 million Americans
by the end of 2005."
Lucent Technologies and Nortel Networks have provided wireless
infrastructure technology for the Verizon Wireless 3G network, and EV-DO
technology is licensed from QUALCOMM.
"Verizon Wireless continues to set the standard for innovative consumer
and business services, and by offering VCAST to the mass consumer base, they
are proving the success and reliability of their 3G network," said Roger
Entner, director of wireless and mobile services for The Yankee Group.
"Services like games and videos everyone is used to playing and watching while
tethered to a TV or monitor are now going to be available virtually anywhere
and any time, with similar speed and often even greater excitement. VCAST
gives consumers the mobility they're looking for and leapfrogs anything else
that is available today."
Multimedia Preview
For the past several months, Verizon Wireless has been conducting a "sneak
preview" of VCAST for 1,000 participants from the company's existing customer
base in the Washington, D.C. and San Diego metropolitan areas. The preview
focused on consumer adoption, usage patterns, content from potential VCAST
partners, and both network and handset performance.
"The quality on this video is just unbelievable," said Melanie Hoffman,
reacting to video news clips she was watching on an LG VX8000 phone in
Washington D.C. last week. "The picture, I just can't explain it, it's really
neat - it's like Christmas."
VCAST Overview
For $15.00 monthly access in addition to their regular Verizon Wireless
calling plan, VCAST customers get unlimited access to a wide array of more
than 300 daily updated videos from leading content providers. Verizon
Wireless VCAST customers also receive unlimited browsing of Verizon Wireless'
Mobile Web 2.0 news and information service. In addition, customers can
choose from premium content, available for an additional cost, that includes
3-D games, music videos and other premium channels.
VCAST'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 getFLIX shopping aisle and check out new
cutting-edge 3-D games in the getGAMES aisle. VCAST also gives customers
unlimited access to browse and view applications in the other familiar Get It
Now shopping aisles - such as getTONES and getGOING.
"Customers no longer need to be chained to their computers or televisions
to play video games or view the latest news and information via video," said
Jim Straight, vice president of multimedia services for Verizon Wireless.
"With our expansion and the widening reach of our high-speed network, the next
level of Get It Now applications is possible - from three dimensional and
multi-player games to higher-resolution photos and video downloads."
At launch, customers will be able to access VCAST 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 video with audio downloading and playback
capabilities, the LG VX8000 offers customers a rich and rewarding interactive
experience. The LG VX8000 also features a 1.3 mega-pixel camera with 10X
digital zoom and embedded flash. Customers can capture 15-second videos and
still photos and send them to other Verizon Wireless customers with video
messaging-capable phones or any e-mail address.
For more information Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a
Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to
http://www.verizonwireless.com.
EDITORS NOTE: Broadcast-quality B-Roll and high-resolution stills of VCAST
from Verizon Wireless are available online. Log on to Verizon Wireless'
Multimedia Library at http://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. Available footage features customer
testimonials and footage of applications in use.
As of Friday, January 7, 2005, Verizon Wireless' EV-DO network will be
available in the following major metropolitan areas:
* Atlanta
* Austin, TX
* Baltimore
* Boston
* Chicago
* Cincinnati
* Columbus, OH
* Dallas/Ft. Worth
* Dayton, OH
* Hartford, CT
* Houston
* Jacksonville, FL
* Kansas City, KS/MO
* Las Vegas
* Los Angeles
* Madison, WI
* Miami/Fort Lauderdale, FL
* Milwaukee
* New Haven, CT
* New Orleans
* New York/Newark, NJ
* Orlando, FL
* Philadelphia
* Phoenix
* Pittsburgh
* Providence, RI
* San Diego
* Tampa, FL
* Washington, D.C.
* West Palm Beach, FL
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless
network, serving 42.1 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 http://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
http://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.
SOURCE Verizon Wireless
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Related links:
http://www.verizonwireless.com
CONTACT:
Jeffrey Nelson of Verizon Wireless,
+1-908-306-4824, Jeffrey.Nelson@verizonwireless.com
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