Japan Relief: Verizon Helps Raise Funds, Waives Fees

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NEW YORK, NY — In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and tsunami, Verizon quickly implemented a mobile giving program to give customers an easy way to contribute to Japan relief efforts, made wireless calls and texts to Japan free, and waived charges for calls to Japan for most residential customers.

Today, the Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon, announced it will match Verizon employee contributions to the American Red Cross, Save the Children and World Vision for relief efforts, $1-for-$1 up to $1,000 per employee, through the Verizon disaster relief incentive program.

Rose Kirk, president of the Verizon Foundation, said, “Verizon is committed to using its technology and its financial resources to support those affected by the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Our employees have a long history of mobilizing quickly to assist communities in need, and we are proud to join them in this effort.”

Verizon employees can take advantage of matching contributions through the Verizon disaster relief program, while Verizon Wireless customers can contribute to the Japan relief efforts through their mobile phones. Verizon Wireless customers can make a $10 donation to their choice of ten non-profit organizations responding to the earthquake and subsequent tsunami by simply sending a text message – simply text the specific word to the organization’s designated short code:

• ADRA Relief: text SUPPORT to 85944
• American Red Cross Relief: text REDCROSS to 90999
• Convoy of Hope: text TSUNAMI or SUNAMI to 50555
• GlobalGiving: text JAPAN to 50555
• International Medical Corps: text MED to 80888
• Mercy Corps: text MERCY to 25383
• Salvation Army: text JAPAN to 80888
• Save the Children Federation, Inc.: text JAPAN or TSUNAMI to 20222
• World Relief Corp. of National Association of Evangelicals: text WAVE to 50555
• World Vision, Inc.: text 4JAPAN or 4TSUNAMI to 20222

Verizon Wireless always waives text-messaging fees for disaster relief, and 100 percent of each $10 donation goes to the relief organization. For Verizon Wireless customers who pay monthly bills, the $10 donations will appear in customers’ next regular monthly bill. For customers using the company’s prepaid services, the $10 donations will be taken from customers’ prepaid balance.

In addition, Verizon is making it easier for customers to get in touch with loved ones in Japan with free phone calls and texts to Japan and also offering free access to TV Japan:

• Telephone Calls and Texts – All Verizon Wireless post-paid customers will receive free calling to Japan from March 11 through April 10. Post-paid customers are those who receive a monthly bill from the company. In addition, Verizon Wireless post-paid customers in the U.S. will receive free text and multimedia messaging to Japan for the same time period.
  All calls made from a Verizon residential landline to Japan will be rated at $0.00 per minute, from March 11 through April 10. Customers with Verizon World Plan (300, 500 or unlimited minutes of long-distance calling) can call Japan without using any minutes from their time-allotment blocks.
• Prepaid Phone Cards – Verizon Prepaid Phone Card charges for all long-distance calls placed to Japan from the United States will also be waived from March 11 until April 10.
• FiOS TV – Verizon is providing FiOS TV customers who are not subscribed to the channel free access to TV Japan through March 25. The channel location is 1770.

* Only long-distance usage charges associated with calls made from residential landlines terminating to wireline or wireless destinations in Japan will be waived from Mar. 11 – April 10. All other fees including taxes, surcharges, monthly recurring charges (MRCs), minimum spend levels (MSLs), monthly minimum charges (MMCs), etc. will continue to apply. Post-paid calling card charges to Japan will also be waived.

** If long- distance calling fees were charged, credits will be issued in a future bill statement.

About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving 94.1 million customers nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 194,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of $106.6 billion. For more information, visit verizon.com/news.

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