Over 95 Percent of Palmetto State Residents Have Access to Verizon

                   Wireless' High-Speed Broadband Service



    BEAUFORT, S.C., July 24 /EMWNews/ -- Verizon Wireless, the nation's

most reliable wireless network, recently expanded wireless coverage in

Beaufort County to meet the wireless needs of customers utilizing the

company's voice and data services. The recent network enhancements enable

more Verizon Wireless customers to use their wireless phones to make calls;

send and receive e-mail and text, picture and video messages; access the

Internet; and download games and ringtones, all while enjoying superior

wireless coverage.



    Verizon Wireless customers will immediately experience enhanced

coverage in the following areas:




    -- The town of Port Royal

    -- Highway 21 between Beaufort and St. Helena Island

    -- Parris Island



    These improved areas also have access to Verizon Wireless'

Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Revision A (Rev. A) network that provides

high-speed business and entertainment-based services on wireless phones,

laptops and other wireless devices with Verizon Wireless' BroadbandAccess

and V CAST multimedia services. Today, over 95 percent of South Carolina

residents have access to Verizon Wireless' high-speed broadband service.



    "This network enhancement reflects our ongoing commitment to meet the

growing needs of our customers visiting or living in the Lowcountry," said

Jerry Fountain, president of Verizon Wireless' Carolinas/Tennessee region.

"High-quality customer service matched with dependable wireless coverage

through our high-speed EV-DO network allows our customers to connect and

stay connected in more places throughout South Carolina than ever before."



    To stay ahead of the growing demand for the company's products and

services, Verizon Wireless has invested more than $641 million in its

wireless network in South Carolina since 2000 to ensure that it has the

most reliable network in the industry. Verizon Wireless has invested more

than $45 billion nationwide since the company was formed in 2000 -- $5.5

billion on average every year -- to increase the coverage and capacity of

its national network and add the newest wireless services.



    For easy and convenient access to new wireless products and services,

Verizon Wireless operates a retail store at 111 Town Drive in Bluffton. For

more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit

http://www.verizonwireless.com.

    About Verizon Wireless



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

data network, serving 68.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking

Ridge, N.J., with 70,000 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.