Verizon Wireless And Skype Join Forces To Create A Global Mobile Calling Communi

MEDIA RELEASE PR38351



Verizon Wireless and Skype Join Forces To Create A Global Mobile Calling Community

BARCELONA, BASKING RIDGE, N.J. and LUXEMBOURG, Feb. 17 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --





New Skype Mobile Product for Verizon Wireless Smartphones Brings More

Value to U.S. Mobile Consumers



At the 2010 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Verizon Wireless and

Skype today announced a strategic relationship that will bring Skype to

Verizon Wireless smartphones in March. The new Skype mobile(TM) product

enhances Verizon Wireless' smartphones for users who have data plans by

offering a new way to call around the globe, while also giving hundreds of

millions of Skype users around the world the opportunity to communicate with

friends, family and business colleagues in the United States using Verizon

Wireless.



The two companies have created an exclusive, easy-to-use Skype mobile

offering for 3G smartphones. Verizon Wireless 3G smartphone users with data

plans can use Skype mobile to:



- make and receive unlimited Skype-to-Skype voice calls to any Skype user

around the globe on America's most reliable wireless network;

- call international phone numbers at competitive Skype Out calling

rates;

- send and receive instant messages to other Skype users; and

- remain always connected with the ability to see friends' online

presence.



Initially, Skype mobile will be available on millions of best-selling

Verizon Wireless 3G smartphones with data plans, including the BlackBerry(R)

Storm(TM) 9530, Storm2(TM) 9550, Curve(TM) 8330, Curve(TM) 8530, 8830 World

Edition and Tour(TM) 9630 smartphones, as well as DROID by Motorola, DROID

ERIS(TM) by HTC and Motorola DEVOUR(TM).



John Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for

Verizon Wireless, said, "Skype mobile on Verizon Wireless changes the game.

For Verizon Wireless' more than 90 million customers, Skype mobile adds great

value because we're effectively giving customers with smartphones and data

plans the option to extend their unlimited calling community to hundreds of

millions of Skype users around the globe. And you're not limited to using a

single type of phone; we'll have nine smartphones ready right at launch in

March."



Josh Silverman, chief executive officer of Skype, noted, "People want to

take their Skype conversations with them wherever they go, whether it's on a


PC, TV or increasingly mobile phones. Verizon Wireless will give U.S.

consumers the best Skype experience on mobile phones and will truly change

the way people call their friends and family internationally."



Customers interested in learning more about Skype mobile for Verizon

Wireless smartphones can visit http://www.verizonwireless.com/skypemobile.

Additional information about the service will be available next month.



Visit http://www.verizonwireless.com for more information about Verizon

Wireless or follow the company at http://twitter.com/verizonwireless. Learn

more and download Skype at http://www.skype.com or follow the company at

http://twitter.com/skypemobile.



About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless

voice and 3G data network, serving more than 91 million customers.

Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 83,000 employees nationwide,

Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and

Vodafone (Nasdaq and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit

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.



About Skype

Skype is software that enables the world's conversations. Millions of

individuals and businesses use Skype to make free video and voice calls, send

instant messages and share files with other Skype users. Everyday, people

everywhere also use Skype to make low-cost calls to landlines and mobiles.

Download Skype to your computer or mobile phone at http://www.skype.com.



Access to a broadband Internet connection is required. Skype is not a

replacement for traditional telephone services and cannot be used for

emergency calling.



Skype, associated trademarks and logos and the "S" symbol are trademarks

of Skype Limited.



SOURCE: Verizon Wireless



CONTACT: Jeffrey Nelson of Verizon Wireless,

+1-917-968-9175 (mobile),

[email protected]; or



Sravanthi Agrawal of Skype,

+352621141696,

[email protected]; or for



U.S.-Based Media Contacts:

Debra Lewis of Verizon Wireless,

+1-908-559-7512,

[email protected]; or



Brianna Reynaud of Skype,


+1-408-376-4927,

[email protected]


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