Verizon Wireless Chooses Microsoft Windows Media to Power Its New V CAST

Music Service Windows Media Technology Enables Direct Access to Music
Tracks Through Mobile

Handsets and On Windows XP-based PCs

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today at the 2006
International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Microsoft Corp.
(Nasdaq: MSFT) and Verizon Wireless announced their collaboration on
the new Verizon Wireless V CAST Music service to offer Verizon
Wireless customers the ability to access and enjoy full-track, digital
music downloads on mobile handsets and Microsoft(R) Windows(R)
XP-based PCs through Windows Media(R) Player 10. Verizon Wireless
adopted core Windows Media technologies including Windows Media
Digital Rights Management (DRM), an enhanced Windows Media Audio
Professional (WMA Pro) codec and Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) to
provide consumers with unfettered access to V CAST Music content
across multiple devices and scenarios.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO )

"With the V CAST Music service we wanted to provide our customers with
an unprecedented digital music experience that allowed the widest
range of options for accessing and enjoying music," said John
Stratton, vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon
Wireless. "Microsoft and its Windows Media Technologies played a
crucial role in enabling this end-to-end mobile music vision. The
over-the-air delivery capabilities of the Windows Media DRM platform
and broad support across multiple devices and scenarios allow us to
provide a truly unique and compelling consumer offering."

Taking advantage of the inherent direct license acquisition
capabilities in Windows Media DRM, V CAST Music will deliver
over-the-air downloads directly to mobile handsets from a catalog of
more than 1 million music tracks a few short weeks after launch,
providing customers with access to content anywhere within the
award-winning V CAST wireless broadband service area. Using a
dual-download approach for the handset, the V CAST Music service
provides an optimized file for mobile handsets and access to a
higher-fidelity copy for downloading on Windows XP-based PCs. Copies
available for downloading to a Windows XP-based PC can be accessed
through a new Verizon Wireless V CAST Music online store in Windows
Media Player 10 and integrated into a customer's existing library for
playback on the PC. Downloaded music can also be burned to CD and
enjoyed on a host of portable and networked devices, including
PlaysForSure(TM)-verified devices and the Xbox 360(TM) video game and
entertainment system.

An enhanced WMA Pro codec optimizes the compression of music tracks
for over-the-air delivery of V CAST Music downloads. Using WMA Pro,
Verizon Wireless' V CAST Music service can deliver smaller music files
to mobile handsets without sacrificing an amazing audio experience.
Support of MTP on V CAST Music wireless phones will enable easy
connectivity to Windows XP-based PCs and Windows Media Player 10 for
syncing content, ensuring that music stored on the PC flows to the
mobile handset for enjoyment on the go.

"Verizon Wireless has taken mobile entertainment to a new level with
its V CAST digital entertainment offerings," said Amir Majidimehr,
corporate vice president of the Windows Digital Media at Microsoft.
"By adopting Windows Media technologies in its V CAST Music service,
Verizon Wireless is giving its customers the best handset experience
with unmatched connectivity to the PC."

V CAST Music is available from Verizon Wireless starting Jan. 16,
2006. Songs available from V CAST Music will be from artists at major
music labels (Warner Music Group, EMI Music, Universal and Sony BMG)
as well as independent provider The Orchard. The V CAST coverage area
is already available to half the population -- some 150 million
Americans -- coast to coast. Verizon Wireless also uses 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 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.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software,
services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their
full potential.

NOTE: Microsoft, Windows, Windows Media, PlaysForSure and Xbox 360 are
either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the
United States and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the
trademarks of their respective owners. SOURCE Microsoft Corp.