In the aftermath of today’s 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile, Verizon Wireless has waived all calling fees for its customers trying to reach loved ones in Chile.
Starting immediately and retroactive to the time of the earthquake, Verizon Wireless customers with regular monthly bills can make calls to connect with family and friends in Chile at no cost when they’re on the Verizon Wireless network in the U.S. Verizon Wireless customers with monthly bills who receive calls from Chile will also receive those calls free of charge. The company is making calls free for at least one week. Calls made while roaming are billed at normal rates.
Dan Mead, chief operating officer of Verizon Wireless, said, “At times of crisis, we spring to action. By acting urgently, we are helping families connect without worrying about cost.”
In addition, Verizon Wireless teams are working with international relief organizations to provide mobile giving options for customers who wish to donate to the earthquake relief efforts. All Verizon Wireless customers who pay a monthly bill, including those formerly with Alltel, may contribute to Chilean earthquake relief efforts via their mobile phones. To make a $10 donation to Habitat for Humanity, text the word “CHILE” to 23583; to make a $10 donation to World Vision, text the word “CHILE” to 20222. Customers will receive a text response to confirm the $10 donation, and 100 percent of customers’ donations will go directly to the relief organization’s efforts to help the victims of the Chilean earthquake. Additional international relief organizations are expected to begin mobile giving campaigns soon.
Verizon Wireless donates the cost of the back-and-forth text messages. Customers will not be charged for the text messages, and the $10 donation will appear on their regular monthly bills.
Today’s availability of Palm® Pre™ Plus and Palm Pixi™ Plus will bring the Palm webOS™ experience to the nation’s largest and most reliable wireless 3G network. The reach and reliability of Verizon Wireless’ 3G network will provide customers with a 3G advantage when they use Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus to:
· Download and use cool apps, from mobile social networking portals to streaming radio
· Browse the Web to keep up with news, sports, stock quotes, Hollywood gossip and more at faster speeds
· Stream must-see video
· Share e-mails with friends, family and coworkers that include picture and video attachments
· Download and play vivid, rousing games
· Quickly download and play music favorites from top 40 to classical
· Work on the go with rapid file sharing
Palm Pre Plus is $149.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate, and Palm Pixi Plus is $99.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate, each with a new two-year customer agreement. Buy a Palm Pre Plus or a Palm Pixi Plus and get a Palm Pixi Plus free after a mail-in rebate through Feb. 14.
Learn more about the features of the new Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus at http://news.vzw.com/news/2010/01/pr2010-01-07c.html and http://news.vzw.com/news/2010/01/pr2010-01-21.html.
About Verizon Wireless’ 3G Network
Kudos to Verizon for this program effective retroactive to the first earthquake date of January 12th. Here’s the press release for details.
Starting immediately, Verizon Wireless customers with contracts or monthly bills in the United States can make calls to reconnect with friends, family, businesses and emergency services in Haiti free of long distance charges. In addition, Verizon Wireless customers with contracts or monthly bills currently in Haiti will not be charged any fees when making phone calls back to the United States. Charges for these voice calls are waived retroactive to last week’s earthquake on Jan. 12 until 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010.
Verizon also will waive all long-distance usage charges on calls made to Haiti from any Verizon residential landline (for more information, visit www.verizon.com/news).
Dan Mead, chief operating officer of Verizon Wireless, said, “Communicating and connecting families is essential to what our business stands for, and who we are. During this major relief effort as communication systems are starting to come back on line, we understand the importance of being in touch with the people who matter most.”
Well “late summer” has come and gone and nearly half a day into the promised launch date of MMS for all AT&T iPhone customers, it finally arrived a little before noon Pacific time. With Twitter a flame with tweets to slam the network at 5 pm Eastern with MMS use, one thing is certain about todays MMS release: Apple is watching.
Apple formally introduced Multimedia Messaging Service to the world in early June at its iPhone OS 3.0 dog and pony show. It displayed it before the developers in a nice large screen with all the carriers that would support MMS upon the June 28th release. Of course, it paused for everyone to take in the fact that the Death Star AT&T logo was missing from the slide at Moscone Centers stage. Front and center, not.
After a furry of angry tweets, Facebook status updates, and blog posts around the Interwebs, AT&T months later sent Seth, its PR guy, to explain the absence via video. See, the thing was, iPhone users were just so unlike other smartphone customers with their data use that AT&T couldn’t possibly support MMS so soon. Soon? Really, MMS support was a surprise to AT&T the day of announcement? Hard to believe but even so, it begs the question why hadn’t it built out the network PRIOR to the announcement when it had to know it was eventually coming? Well, Mr. ATT went on to tell viewers that Ma Bell was fixing a hole for the benefit of iPhone users and would be taking care of signal issues, as well, during the summer. Bonus! Seth really worked it in the video showing lots of towers, data, and hope. Yes, hope you can believe in.
Well, here we are, finally MMS is working and running for iPhone users nationwide and all eyes are on AT&T. How will it handle this? Rumors on Twitter early Tuesday, just days before roll-out, was that a preliminary stress test crashed the system. Today will be a test like none other for AT&T and if it fails, well, it’s almost a sure bet that Verizon will reap success from AT&Ts failure. With Seth’s assurance that iPhone users would enjoy the experience and the billions of dollars it poured into upgrades, failure will only mean that AT&T will never ever be able to fix its holes. Apple will use that as reasoning why it just is no longer “happy” with its relationship and will tell AT&T that it wants to see other people. Of course, it’ll still be friends with AT&T, just not exclusive friends.
So, AT&T, today you must shine or it is over. No marketing blitz will save you from the woes of Apple taking a trip to Jersey and welcoming that guy with his glasses and large group of friends to the iPhone family. As they say in Jersey, put up or shut up.
UPDATE: Upon my first MMS test, it took nearly a minute to complete the send of the MMS message to my wife’s iPhone. Here’s the great part. At five bars in a 3G area, it took nearly 10 minutes for her to receive the MMS message. 10 minutes! While I know everyone with an iPhone is probably using the system right now, man, 10 minutes is S-A-D. I could have described the picture to her via SMS in that amount of time. Shesh…
Verizon Wireless announced that the USB760™ Micro Modem is available in business sales channels beginning today. Developed by Novatel Wireless (NASDAQ: NVTL), a leading provider of wireless broadband solutions, the USB760 gives customers a powerful, pocket-sized wireless broadband modem that runs on Verizon Wireless’ high-speed network, which uses Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Revision A (Rev. A) technology. The USB760 will be available for order in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores on Dec. 1.
Customers can use the included VZAccess Manager™ software on the USB760 for easy connection management and automatic installation on Windows® and Mac systems without the need to install software from a CD. Measuring just more than two inches long and weighing less than an ounce, the USB760 is designed to be extremely durable, and combines a variety of innovative features into its tiny package, including an integrated microSD™ slot, allowing for the seamless storage and transport of up to 8 GB of files, photos or videos on a removable SD storage card (sold separately). Designed to work with any laptop, tablet PC or desktop running Windows, Mac or Linux operating systems and equipped with a Type-A USB port, the USB760 features an internal advanced dual-band diversity antenna, as well as an optional external antenna for enhanced performance on the fringe areas of networks and in highly mobile environments. NovaSpeed™ software helps optimize performance and enables simultaneous uploads and downloads at significantly enhanced speeds.
The USB760 from Verizon Wireless gives customers access to the company’s BroadbandAccess service, which provides fast access to e-mail, corporate data, the Internet and more. With average download speeds of 600 kilobits per second (kbps) to 1.4 megabits per second and average upload speeds of 500-800 kbps, BroadbandAccess from Verizon Wireless allows customers to download a 1 Megabyte e-mail attachment – the equivalent of a small PowerPoint® presentation or a large PDF file – in about eight seconds and upload the same-sized file in less than 13 seconds.
The USB760 is available for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and a new two-year agreement. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, they may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. Customers can select from one- or two-year BroadbandAccess plans that offer 50 MB data usage for $39.99 monthly access or 5 GB data usage for $59.99 monthly access.
For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. Business customers may contact their Verizon Wireless Business Sales Representatives directly at 1-800-VZW-4BIZ.
Verizon Wireless, the nation’s leading wireless provider, and Photobucket, the Web’s premier standalone photo and video-sharing site, today announced the availability of a new mobile photo service on select Verizon Wireless handsets that enables Verizon Wireless customers to easily send photos from a mobile device to a Photobucket album. The application will launch exclusively for Verizon Wireless customers and is available for download from Verizon Wireless mobile storefront by texting ‘photob’ to 2777, in the Community and Sharing category of the Verizon Wireless Get It Now catalog or by visiting photobucket.com/mobile.
Jennifer Byrne, director of digital media at Verizon,said, “Mobile phones are adding a new dimension to sharing images between friends, colleagues or family members. Photobucket is bringing Verizon Wireless customers a new and easy way to share their photos and videos in real-time, without needing to move to a PC to upload and send them.”
“Photobucket is thrilled to team up with Verizon Wireless to provide a quick and easy photo sharing solution for people on the go,” said Alex Welch, President of Photobucket. “Photobucket has always been committed to making photo sharing fun and easy. The Photobucket Mobile Uploader for Verizon Wireless unlocks the full potential of camera phone photos, allowing users to easily save and share images online more easily than they would using traditional digital cameras.”
To utilize the application, Verizon Wireless subscribers sign up for a Photobucket account – which can be created for free at http://photobucket.com – and enter their log-in information to link their Verizon Wireless account to their Photobucket online photo album. Once the accounts are connected, the application instantly uploads photos already saved on the phone to the user’s Photobucket account. The Photobucket Mobile Uploader then automatically sends any future photos directly to the same Photobucket account.
Verizon is the first carrier in the United States to be offering the Photobucket Mobile Uploader and the application will be available initially on 13 handsets. The service is available now from Verizon Wireless, which enables the user to send unlimited mobile photos to their Photobucket account for a monthly subscription fee of $2.99.
Verizon also notes that customers can create up to 10 greetings, 20 distribution lists and 50 distribution members to receive messages.
Verizon relies on the Alcatel-Lucent 5150 Messaging Applications Broker (MAB) for visual voice mail, “Which provides enhanced notification and content delivery services for voice, text and video messages through an intuitive visual interface.”
Feeling a bit like grandpa with this statement, I can remember the days when Bluetooth headsets (BTh) where just a few and even those where difficult to find. Today with many states going with hands-free laws (California to join the fray four days prior to our Nations birthday,) headsets are a dime a dozen now. Many offer a wide range of differing features but none seem to offer what LG’s Decoy does. You see, the Decoy docks its Bluetooth headset in the phone!
According to the Verizon press release SvenOnTech received, the headset attaches to a “discreet docking port” on the back of the slider phone. With the 2.2” mirror-like LCD screen and five-way joystick, you’ll be able to navigate through the multimedia friendly phone that supports mp3, .wma, .aac and unprotected .aac+ files as well as doing the V-CAST thang. You’ll also be able to do email (access MSN® Hotmail®, America Online® and Yahoo!®) along with web surfing. Speakerphone, 2.0 MP camera, and Bluetooth 2.1 pretty much round out this phone. Full set of features after the jump.
The LG Decoy will be available beginning on June 16 for $179.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and a new two-year customer agreement through Verizon Wireless’ online store at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, including those in Circuit City.
Well, this iPhone lovin’ guy took a hold of the latest BlackBerry and gave it a spin. Yes, yes, I kept thinking, ‘How does this compare to the iPhone,’ in nearly every thing I did with it and funny to say, in some things, it faired better than the Apple-made phone. Granted, in others it didn’t (man, that web browser is plain horrible,) but truth is, not everyone wants an iPhone. Some people want Cut-n-Paste on their smartphone. 
So I trekked with the Curve for a couple of weeks, used it, played with it, snapped photos with it, let it guide me to destinations, and even talked on it. Many things surprised me about it and I must say, I was really impressed with it. It is without a doubt a definite replacement for all my Windows Mobile phones I used in the past, but my iPhone? Mmm, you’ll have to read the review for that answer.
Verizon Wireless has entered into an agreement with Alltel Corporation and Atlantis Holdings LLC, an affiliate of private investment firm TPG Capital and GS Capital Partners, to acquire Alltel Corporation in a cash merger. Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD).
Under the terms of the agreement, Verizon Wireless will acquire the equity of Alltel for approximately $5.9 billion. Based on Alltel’s projected net debt at closing of $22.2 billion, the aggregate value of the transaction is $28.1 billion.
The parties are targeting completion of the merger by the end of the year, subject to obtaining regulatory approvals.
Once this transaction closes, customers of both companies will have access to an expanded range of products and services, including a premier lineup of basic and advanced devices and an expanded IN Network calling community. Alltel customers also will benefit from advanced services including over-the-air downloadable music from a three-million-song library, and a network that is nationwide, for a uniform coast-to-coast experience. They also will be able to take advantage of industry-leading consumer policies, including Test Drive and Worry Free Guarantee®.
“This move will create an enhanced platform of network coverage, spectrum and customer care to better serve the growing needs of both Alltel and Verizon Wireless customers for reliable basic and advanced broadband wireless services,” said Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless president and chief executive officer.
Alltel serves more than 13 million customers in markets in 34 states. This includes 57 primarily rural markets that Verizon Wireless does not serve. The transaction puts the Alltel markets and customers on a path to advanced 4th generation services as Verizon Wireless deploys LTE technology throughout its network over the next several years. Alltel’s customers also will reap the benefits of Verizon Wireless’ Open Development initiative, which welcomes third-party devices and services to use the Verizon Wireless network.
Verizon Communications, the owner of the majority stake in Verizon Wireless, expects that the transaction will be immediately accretive, excluding transaction and integration costs. “This is a perfect fit, with Alltel’s high-value post-paid customer base, its solid financials, our common network technology, and significant, readily attainable synergies,” said Ivan Seidenberg, Verizon chief executive officer and chairman of the Verizon board. “Verizon Wireless’ acquisition of Alltel clearly provides opportunities for enhanced value for Verizon shareholders.”
Alltel President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Ford will continue in his current position as head of Alltel until the merger is completed.
“Both Alltel and Verizon Wireless have long track records of delivering a high-quality customer experience in the marketplace,” Ford said. “The combination of our two companies will continue and improve upon that heritage as, together, we can more quickly deliver an expanded range of innovative products and services to our customers.”
Verizon Wireless expects to realize synergies with a net present value, after integration costs, of more than $9 billion driven by reduced capital and operating expense savings. Synergies are expected to generate incremental cost savings of $1 billion in the second year after closing.
Alltel and Verizon Wireless both use a common network technology, which provides advantages of a seamless transition for Alltel customers, ease in integrating the two companies’ networks, and scale efficiencies in operating the larger integrated network.
Morgan Stanley acted as financial advisor to Verizon Wireless on this transaction and is providing bridge financing. Debevoise & Plimpton LLP acted as legal advisor to Verizon Wireless.
Citibank, Goldman Sachs and RBS advised the sellers on the transaction. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz acted as legal advisor to Alltel, and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP and Ropes & Gray LLP acted as legal advisors to the sellers.