Press Kit on the Phone Finder

Lilly A. Perez

Table of Contents

  • Page 1 …………………………………………….. Cover Letter
  • Page 2 …………………………………………….. News Release
  • Page 3 …………………………………………….. Fact Sheet
  • Page 4 ……………………………………………. Annual Report Overview
  • Page 5 ……………………………………………. Feature Story
  • Page 6 ……………………………………………. Flyer

Verizon Communications, Inc.
140 West Street
New York, NY 10007

November 30, 2007

To Media Specialists:

One of the goals at Verizon Communications has been to be at the forefront of communication technology. Despite tough competition, our company has been able to beat out other top corporations. Today, it is our pleasure to say we will continue to be at the top of the telecommunications industry, thanks to recent developments in our wireless division. Beginning January 1, 2008, we will begin presentations on our latest product: the in-charger cellular phone pager.

Founded in 1983 as Bell Atlantic Corporations, Verizon provides services in plain old telephone service (POTS), broadband telephone service, fiber optic video, phone and internet, wireless communications, and DSL. Our services are provided in all 50 states including Puerto Rico. Our new product will use remote systems similar to cordless home phones to find your cellular phone when misplaced. You will not only have a home unit, but also a key chain remote no larger than the one used to unlock your car. These page units also have the power to override the sound setting when the cell phone is set to vibrate. Now, you don’t have to worry about losing your cell phone.

In this press kit, you will find more information on our company and services. It also includes news releases for our paging system, highlights from out annual report, flyers and other visual materials and information from our company.

Thank you for your time. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at 212.684.0102, or these other members of out New York Media Relations Office:

John Bonomo-Director
212.321.8033

Heather Wilner-Manager
212.321.8333

Lilly A. Perez

Media Relations

Verizon Communications, Inc.

Verizon Communications

140 West Street

New York, NY 10007 For Immediate Release

VERIZON WIRELESS LAUNCHES LATEST IN CELL PHONE TECHNOLOGY

New York City, November 30, 2007—Verizon Communications is unveiling the use of radio paging to help customers of their wireless branch locate their cellular phones when misplaced. This technology is the same which has been used previously in pagers and cordless home phones. Like cordless phones, there will be an activating button on the home charger of the owner’s unit. When used, this system will activate the alert tone set on the phone and also has the capacity to override the vibrate setting to alert the owner of its whereabouts. Also included in the package is a key chain remote no larger than the remote used to open car doors for when misplaced outside of the home.

“This system is now being installed onto new cell phones available in our network,” says Verizon Communications Spokesman Gregory Peck. “This is exclusive to our network and is not available anywhere else.” With cellular phones shrinking in size, it has not been difficult to lose or misplace it once in a while. “This will replace the trend of having your friends call your phone in hopes of finding it when it rings. But when on silent or vibrate, this method doesn’t always work,” says Peck.

This technology will raise customer satisfaction with Verizon’s products and highlight the user experience. Peck also says that Verizon expects the number of subscribers to the Verizon Wireless network increase due to higher levels of customer satisfaction.

--30—

Verizon Communications, Inc.

140 West Street
New York, NY 10007

Verizon Wireless Overview

Verizon Wireless is owned by Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group. It is also the leading provider of wireless services in the United States.

Quick Facts

  • Joint venture between Verizon Communications Inc. and Vodafone Group Plc.
  • Wireless Customers: 62.1 Million
  • Number of daily transactions[1]: 3,010,000
  • Number of daily calls and emails to service centers: 1,050,000
  • Number of employees: 67,000
  • Annual Revenue for 2006: $38 Billion
  • Headquartered in Basking Ridge, New Jersey
  • 170+ Switching Centers
  • Services Overview: V CAST Music and Videos, the first broadband connection for wireless customers that allows download of music and videos to the phone. Wireless broadband access for laptops and PDAs. IN calling, picture and text messaging
  • Test Drive: Verizon Wireless allows potential customers to “test drive” their services for 30 days risk free. Verizon pays for the calls, service and activation fees, and taxes during the trial
  • Lowest Customer Turnover Rate: 1.17%[2]

Company Milestones

  • May 10, 2007: Verizon reports lowest turnover rates ever for all major wireless carriers in first quarter.
  • May 5, 2007: Verizon files lawsuit against telemarketers who have conducted unwanted and illegal telemarketing campaigns to Verizon Wireless Customers.
  • March 22, 2007: Verizon introduces it’s 30-day Test Drive
  • November 16, 2006: Verizon introduces a declining early termination fee. The first wireless company to do so.
  • September 21, 2006: Verizon Wireless announces it will open a new state headquarters and call center facility in Huntsville, AL opening 1,300 jobs.

Verizon Communications, Inc.

140 West Street

New York, NY 10007

Key Information

  • Headquarters:

Cellco Partnership

1 Verizon Way

Basking Ridge, NY 07920

  • Doing Business As: "Verizon Wireless", "Verizon Wireless Messaging Services"
  • D-U-N-S Number: 968904698
  • Company type: Private - Joint Venture, Headquarters, Subsidiary
  • Ultimate Parent: Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ)
  • Ultimate Parent D-U-N-S: 107212169
  • Year of Founding: 1995

Fiscal Information for Verizon Wireless

  • Fiscal year ends December 31
  • Sales for 2006: $38 million
  • 1 year growth: 17.6%
  • 2006 Employees: 67,000
  • 1 year employee growth: 20.3%

Key People for Verizon Wireless

  • President, CEO, and Director: Lowell C. McAdam
  • EVP and COO: Jack Plating
  • VP and CFO: John Townsend
  • SVP and CTO: Anthony Melone
  • CIO: Ajay Waghray

Industry Information

  • Industry: Telecommunications Services
  • Primary SIC Code: 4812
  • Primary NAICS Code: 51721
  • Top Industry Competitors: AT&T, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile US

Lost without your cell phone?

By Lilly A. Pérez

It’s Saturday, you woke up late and need to get your errands done. You sleepily gather your purse, your car keys, get your comfortable shoes on and head out. You’re halfway to your destination, and you suddenly have an awful feeling in the pit of your stomach. You pull over to the side of the road and rifle through your bag. You check beneath the seats, and then decide to go all the way back home. It took you ten minutes out of your way to come back, and yet you spend 20 more turning things upside down. The couch is in disarray, you’re bed is unmade…again. You’ve tried calling it from your house phone, but just your luck: it’s on vibrate. As the morning cup of coffee you had earlier is catching up to you, you wander into the bathroom. There it is, your other half, your cell phone; left on the counter; where you put it down to apply your moisturizer. Then you think to yourself, if only there were some way it could tell me where it was, even if it was set to vibrate…

Sounds familiar? Millions of people lose their cell phones every day. Luckily for some, they’re usually misplaced at home or the office, usually under a large pile of unorganized mess. Thankfully, Verizon Wireless is out to solve this problem. Recently, they have introduced a system which will help reduce the number of lost cell phones. The Phone Finder uses the same radio paging technology which has been around for ages, and has been used in most communications devices such as beepers, two way pagers and cordless phone systems.

The novelty of using it in wireless devices is overdue, but will only be offered by one company. Joseph Almeida, a Verizon spokesperson says, “Most of the time someone loses a phone, it’s been found after purchasing another. Trying to replace this lost cell phone causes consumers a lot of stress and grief what with suspending services, making sure there aren’t any fraudulent charges, some companies even make you file a police report before they can replace your phone. The pager gives consumers a chance to find their phone themselves whether they’re at home, in the car, or at work.”

What makes it harder about losing your cell phone is modern technology continuing the trend of making smaller and smaller phones. One would think manufacturers aim to have you lose your wireless device. What is believed to be a convenient carrying size can be a nuisance for many.

“I’m afraid I’m going to break it.”, says Mark Hassan, a small business owner. I need something bigger, which I appreciate from the smart phones available in the market. Slim phones like the Pantech C300 from Cingular don’t work for me.”

The biggest pain in losing your cell phone? “If you want a new cell phone, it’ll cost you at least a hundred dollars,” continues Mark. “Even if you buy one from an auction site you still end up having to out bid others, either way you pay more than you would like to.” Tally up the costs, and, well, hope when you get home, your phone’s just sitting on the counter after all.

[1] With new, existing, and potential customers

[2] February 2007