Verizon and Yahoo! Extend Strategic Alliance with New Multiyear Co-branded Portal Agreement

NEW YORK & SUNNYVALE, Calif.,(RUSHPRNEWS) Sep 04, 2008 -- Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) and Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO) today announced a new multiyear agreement to provide an integrated, co-branded Verizon-Yahoo! portal as a preferred starting point for new Verizon broadband subscribers. This new agreement extends the relationship between Yahoo! and Verizon that began in 2005.

Under the terms of the new agreement, the customizable Verizon-Yahoo! portal will be offered as the first portal choice option for all new subscribers to Verizon's FiOS Internet and High Speed Internet services.

Customers who choose the Verizon-Yahoo! portal will get Yahoo! Search, and co-branded e-mail, Instant Messenger and Toolbar applications. Yahoo! also will provide search and display advertising on the co-branded portal and e-mail application, and both companies will share the search, advertising and e-commerce revenues generated by users of the co-branded portal.

"In addition to providing consumers the fastest upload and download broadband connection speeds available, Verizon offers features and services that enhance our customers' Internet experience," said Eric J. Bruno, senior vice president, Verizon Corporate Marketing. "Allowing customers to select a portal and personalize their content is a key part of the Verizon broadband experience."

Beyond news and information, the co-branded Verizon-Yahoo! portal offers access to content and tools from Yahoo!, including e-mail previews, to-do lists, sports updates, weather, finance portfolios and TV listings, as well as photos and videos from Flickr, one of the world's leading online photo and video-sharing communities. It also offers direct, one-click access to Verizon.net and other select Verizon and third-party sites. Key features include:

-- Customizable Personal Assistant, where users can quickly check in for key information during their daily Internet routine, and get easy access to their own priority features, such as e-mail previews, daily horoscopes and local weather.

-- Top Picks from Your Page module that highlights key stories, chosen based on articles that a user has read on My Yahoo!.

-- Flexible customization tools and controls, such as on-page personalization options, easy drag-and-drop modules, and a variety of layout choices.

"Yahoo! is thrilled to further enhance our partnership with Verizon to deliver our industry-leading consumer experiences to Verizon's new broadband customers," said Jim Schinella, senior vice president, Corporate Partnerships, Yahoo!. "Our new multiyear agreement offers greater choices for consumers while enabling both companies to unlock greater monetization opportunities."

Verizon's 50 Mbps (megabits per second) downstream and 20 Mbps upstream FiOS Internet connection, provided via the company's all-fiber-optic network, is the fastest available to U.S. consumers, and the company's 20/20 symmetrical service is the first of its kind commercially available to U.S. consumers on a mass scale. Pioneering a new category of broadband for the American consumer, Verizon's symmetrical FiOS provides the ultra-fast, two-way speeds crucial for such burgeoning online activities as video conferencing, social networking and super-fast uploading of electronic photo albums or home videos, as well as multi-player gaming and online work collaboration.

Verizon High Speed Internet service, based on DSL technology, provides the best value in broadband with up to 7 Mbps delivered on a dedicated line from Verizon's central switching office to the customer's home or business. Verizon High Speed Internet is backed by live, 24 x 7 customer service and technical support.

About Verizon

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving nearly 69 million customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 228,600 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of $93.5 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

About Yahoo!

Yahoo! Inc. is a leading global Internet brand and one of the most trafficked Internet destinations worldwide. Yahoo! is focused on powering its communities of users, advertisers, publishers, and developers by creating indispensable experiences built on trust. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

Yahoo! and the Yahoo! logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Yahoo! Inc. All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE: Yahoo! Inc.

Verizon Communications Inc.
Cliff Lee, 518-396-1095
clifford.p.lee@verizon.com
or
Yahoo! Inc.
Brigida Bergkamp, 408-594-9617
brigida@yahoo-inc.com
Copyright Business Wire 2008