Broadband Wireless Network Speeds Into El Paso, Texas, Las Cruces and Alamogordo, New Mexico

Customers in El Paso, Texas and Las Cruces and Alamogordo, New Mexico can now access the latest high-speed business and entertainment services on their wireless phones, laptop computers and other wireless devices thanks to Verizon Wireless.

The new capabilities come with the expansion of the company's Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) network in El Paso and southern New Mexico, enabling both its BroadbandAccess and V CAST services. Customers in these communities now have access to the same high-speed Verizon Wireless services that have been available in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Gallup and Farmington.

"Verizon Wireless is committed to expanding our high-speed data network across the nation and in El Paso and southern New Mexico," said Tony Heyman, regional president, Verizon Wireless. "Now, more customers have access to the true mobility of broadband wireless."

BroadbandAccess

BroadbandAccess provides on-the-go professionals with full, mobile access to their corporate information as if they were attached to the information via a high-speed wired connection. Users can conduct business anytime, anywhere in the BroadbandAccess coverage area via a secure, true high-speed data connection.

With average access speeds of 400-700 kilobits per second (kbps), users can download a 1 Megabyte e-mail attachment -- the equivalent of a small PowerPoint(R) presentation or a large PDF file -- in about 20 seconds.

Connecting to BroadbandAccess is easy, using a PC Card that slides directly into most laptop computers, through an integrated option on select notebook computers or by connecting a laptop to a BroadbandAccess-capable PDA or phone.

V CAST

V CAST, the nation's first wireless broadband multimedia service for consumers, offers the most comprehensive selection available of music, videos and 3D games on demand. Users can stream video clips (up to five minutes long) of the hottest entertainment, music videos, movie trailers, sports highlights, news and breaking weather directly to their Verizon Wireless V CAST-capable phones.

With V CAST Music, customers can browse and download songs from the V CAST Music library of 1.5 million songs directly onto their V CAST Music-enabled phone or Windows(R) XP-enabled PC. They can also transfer music from their PC to their V CAST Music-enabled phone and take their tunes with them without a second device.

The company has invested more than $150 million in New Mexico and El Paso, Texas in the past five years -- part of its $35 billion nationwide network investment over the last seven years -- to ensure network reliability and expanded coverage, capacity and capabilities.

Coverage

With the launch, Verizon Wireless' current EV-DO coverage in El Paso and New Mexico now includes:

* In greater El Paso, Texas: El Paso, Socorro and Fabens

* In southern New Mexico: Las Cruces, Alamogordo, University Park, White

Sands, Chaparral, Santa Teresa and Dona Ana

* In northern New Mexico: Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Rio Rancho, Cedar Crest,

Edgewood, Nambe

* In the Four Corners and northwest New Mexico: Gallup and Farmington

Verizon Wireless was the first national wireless provider to commercially launch a high-speed wireless broadband network in the United States. Verizon Wireless' EV-DO network coverage area covers more than 150 million people.

BroadbandAccess customers who travel outside the coverage area with an EV-DO-capable device will switch seamlessly to Verizon Wireless' existing NationalAccess network that offers average data transmission speeds between 60 and 80 kbps, with bursts up to 144 kbps.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 57 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 60,000 employees nationwide. The company is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD).