Consumers Take Center Stage on Verizon High-IQ Networks at 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show

NEW YORK – January 3, 2011 –

Verizon is gearing up for the International Consumer Electronics show this week in Las Vegas, where the company will join with a wide range of technology ecosystem partners to showcase its advanced networks, products, services and  solutions that put consumers and enterprise customers at the epicenter of an ever-expanding connected universe.

Ivan Seidenberg, Verizon's chairman and CEO, will kick off the CES with a keynote address on Thursday (Jan. 6) that promises to offer a provocative and visionary view of the connected universe and the central role Verizon's high-IQ networks play for consumers and leading global businesses.  Seidenberg will be joined by Verizon Chief Operating Officer Lowell McAdam as well as several surprise guests who will show how the combination of ultra-fast, intelligent networks and innovative applications and solutions will drive the most innovative era in the history of technology.

"We are putting the power of Verizon's advanced networks, innovative services and strategic partnerships front and center at the world's largest consumer technology show," said Tony Melone, executive vice president and chief technology officer for Verizon.  "We aim to demonstrate how these collaborations dramatically transform the ways people communicate, consume entertainment, and stay connected to what's important to them - at work or at play and on any device."

For the first time, Verizon will have a large booth on the exhibit floor (Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall, #35216) and will demonstrate dozens of products, applications and services that show the power and capabilities of the nation's fastest, most advanced 4G wireless network, the nation's most advanced fiber-to-the-home network and the most connected global IP network.  The demonstrations are the result of collaborations with multiple companies and span the worlds of gaming, multi-screen entertainment, telemedicine, home security and management, and more.  For news and information about Verizon's presence at CES, visit www.verizonwireless.com/ces and http://newscenter.verizon.com/verizon-at-ces-2011.

For the Media

Verizon Wireless will host a news conference on Thursday (Jan. 6) at 1 p.m. PST featuring a sneak peek at consumer-focused, Android-based LTE devices, as well as an update on the company's 4G LTE network rollout.  The news conference will be webcast; to register, visit http://www.verizonwebcasts.com/ces/2011/news.

Reporters can also register to watch a live webcast of the opening keynote (Thursday, Jan. 6, at 8:30 a.m. PST) by visiting http://newscenter.verizon.com/verizon-at-ces-2011. Visit the CES Press Room and Blogger Lounge (Las Vegas Convention Center Rooms S229 and S228) to see hands-on demonstrations of select services featured in Verizon's show floor booth.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 93 million customers nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 195,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of more than $107 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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Verizon's CEO at CES: High-IQ Networks and Smart Collaborations Will Spread Technology Innovation on a Global Scale

LAS VEGAS – January 6, 2011 –

Verizon Chairman and CEO Ivan Seidenberg and Verizon COO Lowell McAdam were joined on Thursday (Jan. 6) by three of the communications and entertainment industry's top executives to kick off the 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show.

Seidenberg invited Jeff Bewkes, chairman and CEO of Time Warner; Dr. Sanjay Jha, co-CEO of Motorola and CEO of Motorola Mobility; and Mike Cleron, principal engineer of Google, to participate in his CES opening keynote address, which focused on how high-IQ networks and innovative content and applications are combining to fuel "one of the most innovative eras in the history of technology."

The five executives engaged in lively discussions of their companies' current collaborations and the future of communications and entertainment technologies.  The broad range of topics included multi-screen and mobile video, HD and 3D content, 4G smartphones and converged devices, evolution of the Android platform, and open development.

(Note: The entire keynote address and a transcript of the speech will be available for viewing later in the day. Visit http://www22.verizon.com/onecms/LeadershipTeam/Speeches/Speeches.htm)

During the keynote address, Seidenberg noted that today's more than 2 billion Internet users and 5 billion wireless users form the biggest market for technology the world has ever known.  He said that collaborations between hardware and software, computing and communications, technology giants and thousands of entrepreneurs will be crucial to the industry's ability to deliver relevant, personalized communications and entertainment services to billions of individuals.

"People are using technology to erase the boundaries between home and work, here and there, virtual and real," Seidenberg said.  "They imagine access to everything at their fingertips and they want it now, no matter where they are or what screen they have at hand.  They are challenging us to deliver better products, faster networks, more simplicity and more creativity."

Ultra-fast intelligent networks, including Verizon's advanced 4G LTE, fiber-to-the-home and global IP networks, will spread innovation on a global scale and help lead the way to the future, according to Seidenberg.

"The more we infuse consumer electronics with the power and intelligence of high-speed networks, the faster we'll create new demand and accelerate the cycle of innovation and growth that drives the industry forward," he said.

The CES is being held through Sunday (Jan. 9) at the Las Vegas Hilton Center.  For more information about Verizon at the CES, visit http://newscenter.verizon.com/verizon-at-ces-2011.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 93 million customers nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 195,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of more than $107 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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Verizon Networks Prepared to Serve Customers as Hurricane Irene Approaches East Coast

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – August 25, 2011 –

Verizon's wireless and wireline operations teams from Florida to Maine are completing the many tasks necessary to prepare for Hurricane Irene, which continues to push toward the East Coast.

Verizon's Business Continuity and Emergency Management team has activated its National Emergency Coordination Center, which enables Verizon executives to quickly deploy recovery efforts on their networks during emergency situations. 

Verizon's wireless and wireline networks include towers, buildings, transmission facilities and vehicles, and the company is preparing for possible flooding, power outages and downed trees and wires from Irene's aftermath.  Verizon teams are reviewing the inventory of supplies like utility poles, cable and other equipment and are staffing essential positions to meet recovery needs.

The Verizon communications networks require power to function properly.  If commercial power goes out, backup batteries and generators in Verizon's central switching offices, mobile units and field facilities keep power flowing so customers' phones ring even when the lights go out.  The company is pre-arranging fuel delivery for these critical facilities to ensure they continue to function during possible extended power outages.

In addition, trucks and other portable equipment are being moved from low-lying areas, where possible.  Building sump pumps are also being tested, and drains and gutters cleared.

Verizon Wireless

Since last year's storm season, Verizon Wireless has launched the nation's fastest, most advanced 4G LTE network in numerous markets along the East Coast and to 160 million Americans, more than half of the U.S. population; added capacity to high-speed 3G cell sites throughout the country; and installed new in-building network systems at hospitals, government and emergency facilities, high-traffic public venues and other key locations.  Each year, Verizon Wireless invests on average more than $6 billion in its network, and its ongoing network investment totals more than $65 billion nationally since it was formed in 2000.

"Wireless communication is critical before, during and after hurricanes and other weather-related emergencies," said Nancy Clark, Northeast president for Verizon Wireless.  "We work hard every day to enhance and maintain the nation's largest, most reliable wireless network and to deliver consistently superior service to our customers when and where they need it most.  Preparation is key to staying safe.  We have years of experience of planning for and maintaining service during severe weather and are very proud of how our employees and network have performed in meeting these challenges."

Verizon Telecom and Business

Chris Creager, Verizon Telecom senior vice president of national operations for consumer and mass markets, said: "At Verizon, we know how critical communications are during and after severe storms, and customers can count on our network to weather the storm.  We've learned over the past 100-plus years what we need to do to minimize the impact of Mother Nature on our network so that service is maintained and we can respond quickly and effectively when problems do develop."

Verizon invested $16.2 billion in its wireline networks across the country over the past two years.

Verizon enterprise and government customers are encouraged to review their own business continuity plans to prepare for any possible impact as the result of Hurricane Irene.

In addition, Verizon's disaster recovery fleet of emergency vehicles stands ready to deploy to the affected region, if needed.  The fleet includes a 51-foot mobile command center; a 40-foot mobile command center; two 53-foot mobile emergency calling centers; and numerous satellite trailers.

Verizon also has the industry's first environmental hazmat response team, the Major Emergency Response Incident Team (MERIT), which will remain on standby to deploy immediately, if needed.  This team is specially trained for rapid deployment to manage hazardous materials emergencies involving or threatening Verizon's critical communications facilities or infrastructure, or other company assets.

Customer Tips for Coping With Storm Season

Wireless customers should be preparing an emergency communication plan to keep their families safe and in touch and follow these tips for storm season:

Keep phones, batteries, chargers and other equipment in a dry, accessible location.  Consider waterproof accessories or simple zip-lock storage bags to protect devices. Keep wireless phone batteries fully charged - in case local power is lost - well before warnings are issued. Have additional charged batteries and car-charger adapters available for backup power. Maintain a list of emergency numbers - police and fire agencies; power and insurance companies; family, friends and co-workers; etc. - and program them into your phone. Distribute wireless phone numbers to family members and friends. Download applications from a wide variety of weather- and safety-related apps for smartphones, tablets and other devices.  Many of these apps are free. Use a service such as Backup Assistant, the free Verizon Wireless application that stores a phone's address book on a secure server in case the phone is lost or damaged.

Verizon Wireless also recommends the following actions once a storm is on the way:

Limit non-emergency calls to conserve battery power and free up wireless networks for emergency agencies and operations. Send brief text messages rather than voice calls for the same reasons as above. Forward your home phone calls to your wireless number if you evacuate. Check weather and news reports on wireless phone applications when power is out.

Verizon recommends that wireline customers should consider the following tips:

Customers who rely solely on cordless phones in their home should consider purchasing an inexpensive hard-wired phone that plugs directly into a wall jack.  Cordless phones will not function without commercial power. While home answering machines do not work without power, Verizon voice mail service powered by the network will help families communicate. 

Residential customers should contact Verizon at 1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966) or online at www.verizon.com/support to report any service-related issue.  Business customers should contact their regular customer service centers or account teams as needed. 

Verizon Wireless customers can call *611 form their wireless device or 1-800-922-0204 to report any service-related issue.  For more information on the Verizon Wireless network, products and services, visit www.verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 106.3 million total wireless connections, including 89.7 million retail customers.  Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD).  For more information, visit 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 Verizon Communications
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with more than 106 million total connections nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of nearly 196,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of $106.6 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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Wireless Sensor Networks

More than half a billion RF nodes will ship for wireless sensor applications in 2010 for an end user market worth more than $7 billion, according to a recently released report by ON World, an emerging wireless research firm.

Moreover, we are not far from automated grocery lists, controlled heating/lighting, personal health diagnostics and alerts that let you know when your baby strays too far, according ON World. The technology behind these emerging conveniences are "Wireless sensor networks".

Although wireless sensor networking has been around for decades, it is has stayed in an infancy stage until recently due to expensive, primitive radios and bulky, complicated sensors. The wireless sensor market is poised to take off now that advanced radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) are now available for less than $3 in high volumes and smart sensor integrated circuits are now the norm.

The lack of standards has not only prevented the possibility for interoperability but also has limited innovation. Hatler says that "the upcoming ZigBee network protocol will provide a common platform upon which developers can create applications that will leverage the hardware advances with radios and sensors. The vision for the ZigBee specification is to enable developers to create solutions that will lower installation and maintenance costs for a variety of sensors used in industrial settings as well as to provide more control over heating, lighting and energy usage by factories, manufacturing, construction, mining, warehousing and commercial buildings.

Moreover, wireless sensor networking is quite timely with the emphasis today on energy conservation and reduced expensed. ON World reports that because wireless sensors can be more easily installed and in a wider range of areas, they will likely reduce wasted lighting and heating expenditures by as much as 50 percent, says Hatler. In 2001, total energy costs in the United States were 15 percent of its GDP, or $891.1 billion.

Over the next five years, consumers will get more control over their energy consumption and bills as well through two-way communications with their utilities companies. Wireless automated meter reading (AMR), a form of wireless sensor networking, is a low-cost solution for utilities to offer this to their customers.

Another killer app for wireless sensors is monitoring industrial processes and related equipment to alert staff of imminent failures which can save millions of dollars in potential lost productivity. Wireless sensors can also reach places where wires will not go and especially dangerous areas that might be filled with toxins or high temperatures. For example, opening a man hole can cost thousands of dollars per hour for the amount of effort that goes in to ensuring it is safe. Wireless sensors can reduce these costs and ensure safety much more easily.

Consumer usage of wireless sensors is perhaps one of the most interesting areas and one with the largest potential. According to ON World, residential wireless sensors will soon be used to control lighting as well as heating, venting and air conditioning (HVAC) and appliances. Pretty soon, consumers will be able to control aspects of remote parts of the house through their wireless sensor networks and user interfaces that they can access through either computers or remote controls. Not much longer after this, consumers will be able to self-diagnose themselves, keep track of their belongings and communicate with their cars with-you guessed it: wireless sensor network technologies.

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