Verizon Wireless 2005 NBA All-Star TXT Play Offers Fans Chance To Cast Their Votes For 2005 NBA All-Star Game MVP

BEDMINSTER, NJ and DENVER — Verizon Wireless customers can vote — and have it count — toward selecting the MVP of the 2005 NBA All-Star Game as a part of the comprehensive wireless All-Star package, 2005 NBA All-Star TXT Play. Available for customers with two-way TXT Messaging capable phones, participants can see how their votes counted by tuning into the 2005 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, February 20, broadcasting live on TNT, Rogers Sportsnet and ESPN Radio at 8 p.m. EST. The game will also be televised in 214 countries and audio broadcast in 15 languages on NBA.com.

NBA fans can participate in the NBA All-Star festivities this week by pre-registering from their Verizon Wireless TXT Messaging capable phones. Customers simply send the TXT Message "N-B-A" to "6-2-2" and hit SEND or log on and register to vote at NBA.com. NBA All-Star MVP TXT voting is open to all Verizon Wireless customers with signed customer agreements and those customers will be charged according to their calling plans. After halftime at the 2005 NBA All-Star Game, ballots will be sent directly to all pre-registrants' phones. Fans that do not have a chance to pre-register can send the TXT Message "N-B-A" to "6-2-2" from their Verizon Wireless phones during the game, or simply log on and cast their ballot at NBA.com. All votes received through Verizon Wireless' TXT Messaging and NBA.com will be calculated in real time and will count toward selecting the official MVP of the 2005 NBA All-Star Game.

Verizon Wireless customers can also have their wireless votes count towards selecting the 2005 got milk? Rookie Challenge MVP on Friday evening and participate in a fan poll to predict who they think will be the winner of the Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk competition on Saturday evening.

For basketball fans that can't get enough NBA All-Star action, Verizon Wireless offers customers participating in the NBA All-Star TXT Play an opportunity to "opt-in" on the night of the event to receive pictures of all the action via a picture message sent to their picture messaging-capable phones. Customers without picture messaging can still enjoy these images by registering to have them sent to their accounts on Pix Place, Verizon Wireless' picture/video messaging Web site. Customers can receive photos of the got milk? Rookie Challenge MVP, NBA All-Star Game MVP, as well as the winner of the Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk competition and pay as they go — $0.25 for each picture message sent or received — or select from a variety of picture messaging bundled plans. Customers can also visit NBA.com to view the photos of each event.

TXT Messaging from Verizon Wireless makes every vote count — customers can pay as they go for TXT Messaging, which is just $0.02 for each message received and $0.10 for each message sent, or select from a variety of bundled plans which are $2.99 per month for 100 messages, $4.99 per month for 250 messages, $9.99 per month for 1,000 messages or $19.99 for 2,500 messages sent or received. Customers need a TXT Messaging-capable phone to send and receive TXT Messages.

For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.  

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 43.8 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at 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 the NBA
With 30 teams in the United States and Canada, NBA games and related programming are broadcast to 214 countries in 43 languages. The NBA is a recognized leader in sports marketing currently maintaining a long list of fully integrated domestic and global marketing partnerships with the most recognizable brands in the world. NBA players are the most recognizable and successful product endorsers in sports with dozens of players appearing in national and international promotions each season. For more information on the NBA, visit NBA.com.   

* Verizon Wireless Prepay customers are not eligible to participate.

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