Give the Gift of Hope This Holiday Season by Recycling a No-Longer-Used Wireless Phone

Verizon Wireless' HopeLine Phone Recycling and Reuse Program Benefits Domestic Violence Victims Around the Country

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Dec. 8 -- In the spirit of giving this holiday season, Verizon Wireless encourages all wireless customers nationwide to make a difference in the lives of domestic violence victims by recycling their no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries and equipment in any condition from any wireless service provider through the company's HopeLine(R) program.

Consumers who plan to give the gift of wireless can remind the recipient of a new device like the LG Dare(TM) or Samsung Omnia(TM) that Verizon Wireless provides an easy way to dispose of the device that's no longer being used. If you unwrap a new phone over the holidays, you can drop off your old phone and accessories at Verizon Wireless Communications Store locations nationwide.

In this holiday season and year-round, proceeds from the phones collected by HopeLine will be used to provide a wireless phone to a survivor of domestic violence who is rebuilding her or his life or cash grants to local shelters and non-profit organizations that focus on domestic violence prevention and awareness.

Consumers, businesses and community organizations can also make a difference by making phone collections a part of their holiday gatherings or hosting a phone drive at their homes or offices. Verizon Wireless makes it easy for anyone to hold a phone collection drive by supplying collection boxes, posters, brochures and more free of charge. Since last year's holiday season, Verizon Wireless has fulfilled hundreds of requests for donation kits and collection materials from businesses and individuals, resulting in hundreds of thousands of phones being collected for the cause. For more information regarding hosting a phone collection, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

Since 2001, HopeLine has collected more than 5.3 million phones; awarded more than $5.6 million in cash grants to domestic violence agencies and organizations throughout the country; and has donated more than 80,000 HopeLine phones with 240 million minutes of airtime to victims, survivors and domestic violence organizations. For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 70.8 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 71,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit 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.