On Air Wireless To Become Part Of Verizon Wireless

On Air Wireless To Become Part Of Verizon Wireless

Customers to Benefit from Broader Services, Expanded Wireless Network of New National Company

May 1, 2000

May 1, 2000-ROCHESTER, NY -

Verizon Wireless, formerly Bell Atlantic Mobile, today announced its subsidiary, On Air Wireless

will become part of the new coast-to-coast wireless carrier effective immediately. On Air

Wireless customers will become Verizon Wireless customers, and have access to the full range of

the company's products and services, including its new flat-rate nationwide SingleRate

^sm pricing with no long distance and roaming charges.

On Air Wireless offers wireless phone and paging service through 17 retail locations in Buffalo,

Rochester and Syracuse. The carrier has 55 employees. Verizon Wireless was formed last month when

Bell Atlantic Mobile merged its U.S. wireless operations with Vodafone AirTouch Plc and PrimeCo

Personal Communications.

Tracy Nolan, president of Verizon Wireless' Upstate New York region, said, "By adding On Air

Wireless to the Verizon Wireless family, we will be able to build on the presence On Air has

established in the marketplace and bring high-quality wireless service to more customers. The

addition of 15 On Air Wireless retail stores means more convenient locations for Verizon Wireless

customers to purchase products, services and accessories."

On Air Wireless customers will have the option of remaining on their current service plan or

signing up for a new Verizon Wireless plan.

On Air Wireless' retail locations will become Verizon Wireless communication stores early this

summer at the same time former Bell Atlantic Mobile stores change to Verizon Wireless.

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About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless communications provider in the U.S. with more than 16

million wireless voice and data customers and nearly 4 million paging customers. The new

coast-to-coast wireless provider was formed by the combination of the U.S. wireless businesses of

Bell Atlantic Corp. (NYSE:BEL) and Vodafone AirTouch Plc (LSE:VOD; NYSE:VOD). The new company

includes the assets of Bell Atlantic Mobile, AirTouch Cellular, PrimeCo Personal Communications

and AirTouch Paging. Verizon Wireless will be further strengthened by the addition of the

wireless assets of GTE Corp. (NYSE:GTE) when it completes its merger with Bell Atlantic. When the

merger is complete, the new company will have a footprint covering nearly 90 percent of the U.S.

population, 49 of the top 50 and 96 of the top 100 U.S. markets.

Verizon Wireless, headquartered in New York City and Bedminster, NJ, is 30,000 employees strong.

Reporters and editors can find more information about the company in its Media Center on the Web

at: www.verizonwireless.com/mediacenter.

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