V CAST Music From Verizon Wireless: Call Your Music

V CAST Music From Verizon Wireless: Call Your Music

BEDMINSTER, N.J., Jan. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobile music has changed forever with V CAST Music, the world's most comprehensive mobile music service, from Verizon Wireless. V CAST Music lets music lovers download music over the air directly to their wireless phones, straight to their Windows(R) XP PCs, and transfer new and existing digital music from the PC to their wireless phone and to compatible portable music players. To mark the launch of V CAST Music, exclusive new tracks from Yellowcard recorded live earlier this month at a concert at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas are available on the service, and five songs from top artists including The Fugees, Shakira, Yellowcard and OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) are available free for a limited time to V CAST Music customers. Highlights of V CAST Music from Verizon Wireless include:

* One million songs will be available on V CAST Music by spring; songs are
from artists at major music labels (Warner Music Group, EMI Music,
Universal and Sony/BMG), as well as independent providers (including The
Orchard).

* Purchases from the phone include two copies of every song -- one for the
phone and one for the Windows XP PC.

* Purchases from the PC cost $0.99 and include a single download to the PC
that may be transferred via USB cable to the phone; purchases from the
handset cost $1.99 and include two copies of every song, one for the
phone and one for a Windows XP PC.

* The first two V CAST Music phones to choose from: the Samsung a950 for
$99.99 or the LG VX8100 for $149.99, with more phones to come soon.

* Free sideloading -- the ability to take digital music on the PC,
including MP3 formatted music, and sync it with the mobile phone through
a USB cable.

* The use of the widely respected and comprehensive Microsoft Windows
Media Digital Rights Management (DRM) standard.

* Search, browse, preview, download and play high-quality digital music
directly from wireless phones or online in the Verizon Wireless V CAST
Music Store. Visit http://www.verizonwireless.com/music for more
information.

John Stratton, vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless, said, "V CAST Music is the most highly anticipated new service launch in our company's history. Americans love their mobile phones and they love their music. Now, in one single device, they'll have the best of both worlds, and all from the company known for building and operating the best wireless network. Music is a natural on the one device people don't leave home without -- their mobile phone. With more than 200 million wireless phone users in the United States today, Verizon Wireless is meeting the needs of customers who want mobile music and the ease of carrying just a single device."

Pricing

Verizon Wireless offers two pricing options that give customers flexibility, depending on how they want to get their music.

The V CAST Music Store already boasts a collection of more than a half- million songs and will contain a million songs by spring. Songs purchased from V CAST Music from the PC cost $0.99 for a single download to the PC that may be transferred to the phone via USB cable. For music lovers who want immediate gratification, song purchases made from the handset cost $1.99 for a copy sent immediately to the phone and a second sent to the PC for download. Customers can also purchase entire albums from the Verizon Wireless V CAST Music Store via their Windows XP PCs; prices vary by album.

Customers need a subscription to the V CAST VPak, which is $15.00 monthly access, added to their Verizon Wireless calling plan to access V CAST Music on their phones. For a limited time, customers who sign up for V CAST receive one month of V CAST service free. Customers interested in managing their music from their PCs in the V CAST Music Online Store can do so without a V CAST VPak.

Free Sideloading

In addition to the immediacy of over-the-air, full-music downloads, music lovers have the ability to copy their digital music collection from a Windows XP PC to their V CAST Music phone. Using Windows Media Player 10 and a USB cable, V CAST Music customers can take digital music from their PCs -- including MP3 formatted music -- and sync the files to the phone. USB cables are available at Verizon Wireless Communication Stores as well as from many other retailers.

Network

V CAST Music runs on Verizon Wireless' award-winning broadband network. The V CAST coverage area, which mirrors the company's broadband network, is already available to about 150 million Americans coast to coast. V CAST Music from Verizon Wireless signals the availability of revolutionary new services from the company known for the most reliable network in the nation.

Exclusive Content

Verizon Wireless has offered its customers exclusive ring tones, ring back tones and music videos for years -- and the tradition continues with V CAST Music. Starting today, V CAST Music customers can download exclusive new tracks they can't get anywhere else. The first six tracks come from Yellowcard's exclusive EP, "What Happens in Vegas ... " , which was recorded earlier this month at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. In addition, V CAST Music customers have exclusive access to "A Capella," a four song EP from the artist Jaheim. These two EPs are the first albums ever to be released exclusively through a wireless service company. Verizon Wireless plans to make other music exclusives available in the future on V CAST Music.

Five Free Songs Offer

For a limited time, Verizon Wireless is also offering V CAST Music customers the option of downloading five songs for free from a variety of artists. The tracks include:

* The Fugees, "Take It Easy" from their upcoming album
* Shakira, "Animal City" from the album "Oral Fixation Vol. 2"
* Shakira, "Las de la Intuicion" from the album "Fijacion Oral Vol. 1"
* Yellowcard, "Lights and Sounds (Live)" from the V CAST Music exclusive
EP "What Happens in Vegas ... "
* OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark), "If You Leave" from the album
"The OMD Singles"

Phones

The first two V CAST Music-enabled phones are available today, including the Samsung a950 for $99.99 and the LG VX8100 for $149.99 -- each with two- year customer agreement. Additional phones are expected to be available in the coming weeks. Customers who purchased the LG VX8100 or the Samsung a950 prior to the launch of V CAST Music and wish to upgrade may simply bring the phone into a Verizon Wireless store and the V CAST Music application will be installed. Customers who purchased the LG VX8100 or the Samsung a950 prior to the launch of V CAST Music can choose not to upgrade to V CAST Music, keeping their native MP3 player exactly as they bought it.

Windows Media from Microsoft

With V CAST Music, Microsoft and Verizon Wireless have collaborated on the service that allows customers to access and enjoy music whenever and wherever they want. Microsoft's Windows Media technologies are powering next generation digital entertainment on wireless phones and enabling a simple, connected digital media lifestyle with access to content virtually anywhere. Microsoft has been an integral part of the development of V CAST Music, enabling an end-to-end mobile music experience with direct delivery to the phone and a Windows XP PC. Verizon Wireless also uses Microsoft's Windows Media technologies to power its existing V CAST video service.

Storage

Verizon Wireless offers a variety of removable memory products, including a card with a 1-gigabyte (GB) capacity that customers can use to store their music. The compact size 1 GB miniSD and microSD cards can store up to 32 hours of Windows Media Audio (WMA)-compressed music, or approximately 480 songs, downloaded from V CAST Music. Verizon Wireless offers storage cards in capacities ranging from 256 MB to 2 GB (1 GB microSD and 2 GB miniSD will be available in February) and include an adapter to fit standard SD devices.

Customers can visit the V CAST Music Online Store at http://www.verizonwireless.com/music. V CAST Music is available through Verizon Wireless' 2,000 Communications Stores and Circuit City locations and online at http://www.verizonwireless.com/.

About V CAST

V CAST from Verizon Wireless is the nation's first wireless broadband multimedia service for consumers that brings high-quality video, 3D games and music straight to hot new phones. V CAST customers have access to the most content from top content providers -- whether their interest is in games, news updates, sports or celebrity entertainment. There are no airtime charges to download, stream or watch V CAST content. Verizon Wireless uses Microsoft's Windows Media technologies to power its existing V CAST service, the nation's first broadband entertainment service providing high quality video content to wireless handsets.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 49.3 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, N.J., Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at 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.

Source: Verizon Wireless

CONTACT: Jeffrey Nelson of Verizon Wireless, +1-908-306-4824, or
jeffrey.nelson@verizonwireless.com

Web site: http://www.verizonwireless.com/
http://www.verizonwireless.com/music

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