Five Million Phones Collected by Verizon Wireless’ HopeLine Program

  Phones Turned Into Support for Domestic Violence Agencies and Survivors



    BASKING RIDGE, N.J., July 17 /EMWNews/ -- Every no-longer-used

wireless phone that consumers donate to Verizon Wireless' HopeLine(R)

national phone recycling and reuse program helps a victim of domestic

violence. Verizon Wireless collected its first used wireless phone through

HopeLine in 2001, and the company said today it has now passed the 5

million phones collected mark.



    "The 5 million phones we have collected add up to millions of minutes

of freedom for domestic violence victims," said Lowell McAdam, president

and CEO of Verizon Wireless. "We know there are many options for disposing

of wireless phones, and we appreciate those customers who have chosen to

support victims of domestic violence through HopeLine. These phones really

do make a difference."



    One Million Phones Collected In Nine Months



    Last October, Verizon Wireless announced it had collected 4 million

phones through HopeLine. Now, in just nine months, HopeLine has collected

an additional 1 million phones to pass the 5 million phone plateau. Five

million is the number of people who live in the state of Minnesota or one

phone for every person in Metro Atlanta. It also represents the distance in

miles between Los Angeles and New York -- multiplied 922 times.



    180 Million Minutes of Service Donated



    The 5 million phones collected by HopeLine were either refurbished for

reuse with the proceeds benefitting domestic violence victims or were

recycled in an environmentally sound way. HopeLine has provided wireless

phones with the equivalent of 180 million minutes of service and cash

grants totaling more than $5 million to local shelters and non-profit

organizations that focus on domestic violence prevention and awareness.

    About HopeLine



    HopeLine puts the nation's most reliable wireless network to work in

communities by turning unused wireless phones into support for victims of

domestic violence. Wireless phones, batteries and accessories in any

condition from any wireless service provider can be donated to HopeLine at

any Verizon Wireless Communication Store across the country.



    For more information on Verizon Wireless' HopeLine program, visit

http://www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.



    About Verizon Wireless



    Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and

data network, serving 67.2 million customers. Headquartered in Basking

Ridge, N.J., with 69,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint

venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE:

VOD). For more information, go to: 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.