VCAST Brings Current News, Weather, Sports and Entertainment Video Clips and
Cutting-Edge 3-D Games to 3G Handsets
OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing to build on its
strategy to provide its customers superior wireless services in the United
States, Verizon Wireless announced today the launch of its Evolution-Data
Optimized (EV-DO) third generation (3G) wide-area network in the Kansas
City metropolitan area. Verizon Wireless' 3G EV-DO network enables
BroadbandAccess -- the fastest wide-area wireless Internet access service
available in the nation -- and will enable VCAST, the nation's first 3G
wireless multimedia service for consumers, beginning on February 1, 2005. The
company made both announcements today from the Consumer Electronics Show in
Las Vegas. Verizon Wireless' upgraded 3G EV-DO network is the fastest, most
widely available wireless data network in the nation today.
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. As soon as the service is available, customers will be able to watch
music videos and short programs specifically designed for mobile phones and
other video applications on their handsets.
"The launch of VCAST provides Verizon Wireless customers in the Kansas
City area with the latest and greatest in mobile wireless data technology,
enabling them to stay connected, informed and entertained via their wireless
phone, 24 hours a day seven days a week," said Mark Crumpton,
president-Kansas/Missouri Region, Verizon Wireless.
Customers in greater Kansas City will be able to access VCAST through
the Verizon Wireless Get It Now(R) virtual store on select new Verizon
Wireless handsets, including the LG VX8000. When the service is available on
February 1, customers can expect video and games from a variety of familiar
and popular sources, including new content and hot new short programs designed
specifically for mobile phones.
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.
The Verizon Wireless EV-DO 3G network initially launched commercially more
than one year ago 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.
In addition to expanding the EV-DO network in the Kansas City market, the
company also announced today its 3G EV-DO network is now available in Chicago;
Houston; Boston; Phoenix; Cincinnati; Orlando, FL; Columbus and Dayton, OH;
Providence, RI; Jacksonville, FL; Hartford and New Haven, CT. Verizon Wireless
added these locations to its existing 20 markets with 3G EV-DO network
coverage. In addition, Verizon Wireless is expanding its existing 3G EV-DO
network in the following markets: New York; Newark, NJ; Los Angeles;
Philadelphia; Atlanta; Miami, Tampa and West Palm Beach, FL; Baltimore, MD;
Milwaukee, WI. Verizon Wireless plans to expand its 3G EV-DO network to cover
150 million Americans by the end of 2005.
For more information about 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: Broadcast-quality B-roll footage about VCAST and BroadbandAccess
is available online. Log on to http://www.thenewsmarket.com/verizonwireless to
preview and request video segments, which can be received in newsrooms
digitally, by tape or via satellite.)
As of Friday, January 7, 2005, Verizon Wireless' EV-DO network and its
BroadbandAccess service will be available in the following major metropolitan
areas. VCAST will be available beginning February 1, 2005:
* 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:
Cheryl Bini Armbrecht of Verizon Wireless,
+1-314-920-4922, Cheryl.Bini@VerizonWireless.com; or Heather
Lewis, +1-913-851-8700, ext. 26, heather@morningstarcomm.com, for
Verizon Wireless
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