2008 Ad

Verizon Wireless Customers Can Now Avoid Traffic, Find Inexpensive Gas and More with the New VZ Navigator

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., May 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless, builder and operator of the nation's most reliable wireless network, announced today that VZ Navigator(SM) (Version 4) is now available on select consumer phones. First announced during CTIA WIRELESS 2008, the newest version of VZ Navigator allows customers in 75 cities from coast to coast to access information about traffic incidents on major roadways, obtain traffic updates and find detours around traffic congestion and accidents. More cities are expected to be added in the coming year. In addition, the new version of VZ Navigator offers a 3D perspective view of maps, a movie and events finder, weather reports and forecasts, and gas prices at nearby gas stations.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080507/NYW023 )

Verizon Wireless' VZ Navigator service is a location-based service (LBS) application that utilizes location-based technology and real-time and historical information feeds. The new version of VZ Navigator offers customers the following features:

  -- Traffic Integration -- Customers in 75 cities can access routes that
     are calculated using both historical and real-time reported traffic
     information.  Historical information allows customers to see on average
     whether the traffic is impacted by traffic lights, heavy traffic or
     school zones.  Incident and flow information tells customers how
     traffic is flowing and includes details about reported accidents,
     disabled vehicles and congestion.  VZ Navigator's historical data
     covers over 750,000 miles of roads in 48 states.  The traffic tracking
     center continually monitors conditions along the customers' routes,
     sending proactive alerts to drivers about conditions ahead of them on
     their chosen routes.  Detour options allow users to compare estimated
     times of arrival and conditions before selecting a new route.
  -- Local Movies and Events -- Customers can now search for show times,
     critics' ratings and other details for movies, concerts, plays,
     sporting events, and other social events based on the physical location
     of their phones.
  -- 3D Perspective View -- Enhances navigation by displaying maps from
     angles customers would see through car windshields, making it easier to
     visualize turn-by-turn directions.
  -- Gas Finder -- Provides customers with information on the location of
     gas stations close to their physical locations and even provides gas
     prices as reported by many gas stations in the area.  Once a customer
     selects a station, VZ Navigator can also provide turn-by-turn
     directions to the selected gas station.
  -- Weather -- Provides current weather conditions and forecasts based on
     the physical location of the customer's phone without manually
     inputting an address.

Lee Daniels, vice president of consumer product development for Verizon Wireless, said, "With the new features of VZ Navigator, Verizon Wireless customers now have a powerful navigation device that not only gives them directions but also provides the latest traffic information and more. The expanded services on VZ Navigator are another example of how we provide our customers with a great value for their wireless dollar -- on the most reliable wireless network in the country."

Pricing and Availability

VZ Navigator (Version 4) is available today for $9.99 for unlimited monthly access or $2.99 for one-day use on select Get It Now(R)-enabled phones in the Get Going section under Travel & Guides or Featured Apps. Airtime or megabyte charges and specific terms of use apply when browsing, downloading and using the application. Traffic integration is only available in certain areas.

Verizon Wireless customers who currently have a subscription to VZ Navigator can upgrade on select phones by simply selecting Options from the main screen of VZ Navigator then selecting Check for Updates. At launch, the following phones are able to access VZ Navigator (Version 4): G'zOne Type-V and G'zOne Type-S; Kyocera K323; The V(TM), enV(2)(TM), envy(TM) Chocolate, Venus(TM), and Voyager(TM) by LG, LG VX5300, LG VX5400, LG VX8300, LG VX8350, LG VX8600, LG VX8700, and LG VX9400; Nokia 6205 and Nokia 2605; MOTOKRZR(TM) K1m, MOTORAZR(TM) maxx Ve, MOTORAZR(2) V9m, MOTORAZR(TM) V3c, MOTORAZR(TM) V3m, MOTOSLVR L7c, MOTO(TM) Z6c world edition, and Motorola W385; and Alias(TM) by Samsung, Verizon Wireless Juke by Samsung, Samsung SCH-a930, Samsung SCH-a990, Samsung SCH-u410, Samsung SCH-u540, and Samsung SCH-u620.

For more information on VZ Navigator, visit http://www.verizonwireless.com/vznavigator. For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to http://www.verizonwireless.com/.

VZ Navigator's traffic capabilities are available on most major highways in the following markets today: