High-Volume Callers Get Super Deal on Verizon Wireless Access With New 10 Percent Monthly Discount for Verizon Local Package Customers

NEW YORK - Verizon has sweetened the bundled services pot. Verizon customers who purchase one of several Local Package offers for their home phone service and who also use Verizon for regional and long-distance calling now can get 10 percent off their monthly wireless access charges when they purchase a Verizon Wireless America's Choice calling plan. Previously, the discount was a flat $5 a month.

"Calling from home, calling from outside the home: It's all about customers being able to call when they want, where they want and receiving the best value for their calling dollars," said Margaret S. Gardner, executive director of product management for Verizon's Retail Markets Group. "At home, folks want good deals on both calling and features. With wireless, they want increased minutes for greater calling flexibility. So we're changing our bundle discount so that it offers savings that increase in proportion to what our customers buy," she said.

Qualifying Verizon Wireless calling plans start with the 400 minutes-per-month America's Choice plan, discounted to $35.99 in a bundle, and range up to the America's Choice 5500 plan with 5,500 minutes, discounted from $299.99 to $269.99. America's Choice Family Share plans are also eligible for the discount offer on the primary line. With the new discount, customers can save anywhere from $42 to $360 per year on select Verizon Wireless calling plans and the benefit of free IN-Network calling to any Verizon Wireless customer from the National IN-Network calling area.

A second offer allows new customers who order a qualified Verizon Wireless calling plan through Verizon and have all their calling services from Verizon -- but not as part of a marketed package -- to get a free vehicle power charger on each non-FamilyShare line ordered. Vehicle chargers, which generally cost about $30, are the most popular wireless accessories.

"Bundles are especially important to families who need the flexibility of the Verizon Wireless calling plans to stay in touch," said John Comisky, Verizon Wireless vice-president, marketing. "More and more families are opting for our America's Choice FamilyShare Plans and larger bundles of minutes to stay in touch with two-to-four family members. And with the new National IN-Network calling, families and individuals can call other Verizon Wireless customers for free from anywhere on the Verizon Wireless National IN-Network coverage area. The Verizon discounted bundle is now an even better value for anytime calling."

To qualify, new customers in the five states where discounts on bundled home and wireless services are offered need only buy one of several Local Package offers that include various combinations of local calling, calling features, home voice mail, directory assistance and regional toll calling, and must also choose Verizon for regional and long-distance calling. Both Verizon Freedom and Freedom Extra plans, which offer unlimited local, toll and long-distance calling and from five to 15 calling features, also qualify customers for the new wireless discount. Verizon Freedom All, which discounts calling, high-speed Internet access and wireless calling, also now includes the 10 percent wireless monthly access discount.

"It's all about calling," said Gardner. "Our bundles encourage calling, and we'll continue to modify our offers in tune with the market to offer the best service at the highest value on both the traditional landline and the wireless phone."

Verizon introduced the concept of cumulative service discounts almost two years ago. A discounted local calling package, a choice of regional plans, options for long-distance calling, a $5 break on DSL and a $5 break on a qualifying wireless plan launched Verizon's comprehensive service bundles. The bundles were modified over time, including last January when Verizon Freedom offered unlimited all-distance calling, and last May when the price of discounted DSL dropped to $29.95.

Verizon today offers the wireless bundle discount in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Virginia. These offers are only available through the Verizon's sales and service centers.

Verizon Communications

A Fortune 10 company, Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services, with approximately $68 billion in annual revenues. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world, as measured by directory titles and circulation. Verizon's international presence includes wireline and wireless communications operations and investments, primarily in the Americas and Europe. For more information, visit www.verizon.com

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