Verizon Provides Free Calling During the Holidays for U.S. Troops in Iraq

[Ironwalt]

Press Release Source: Verizon Business


Verizon Business Provides Free Calling During the Holidays for U.S. Troops in Iraq
Thursday November 15, 7:00 am ET
Mobile Vehicles, Global IP Network Link Troops With Loved Ones


BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Nov. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its ongoing commitment to support U.S. troops domestically and abroad, Verizon Business is again providing free phone calls during this holiday season for U.S. Armed Forces personnel stationed in Iraq.


For the fifth consecutive year, Verizon Business will provide the calls for Iraq-based military personnel, from Nov. 21 through Nov. 28 and from Dec. 21 through Jan. 3. The calls home are made possible through a Verizon Business state-of-the-art mobile communications facility that was outfitted with phones and deployed to Iraq.

"Hearing the voice of a loved one can go a long way to bolster the spirits during the holidays," said Susan Zeleniak, vice president of federal markets for Verizon Business. "The women and men in the U.S. armed forces make sacrifices every day, and Verizon Business has made it a tradition to help the troops stay connected with their loved ones at home during the holidays."

Verizon Business, as a leading communications provider to the federal government, makes technology, resources and employee support available to military personnel and their families around the world throughout the year.

Verizon Business also is supporting the USO of Metropolitan Washington by hosting a Verizon Business Phone Home for the Holidays program Dec. 8 at Fort Belvoir, Va., in conjunction with the USO's holiday event. Verizon Business will deploy one of its mobile emergency communications vehicles to allow troops and their families to make free local, long-distance and international calls as well as send e-mails.

Verizon Business is a Partner at the USO Gateway Lounge at the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. In addition, the company has teamed up with the USO of Metropolitan Washington as the Premier Partner of the new USO Lounge at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and as a Partner at the new lounge at Washington Dulles International Airport. The Dulles lounge opened earlier this year, and the Reagan airport lounge will open soon. Verizon Business is the first USO-Metro Partner to provide financial support to all three area airport USO lounges.

In addition to providing funding for the lounges, Verizon Business also provides them with free phone calling anywhere in the world via wireless phones using Verizon Business voice-over-Internet-protocol service.

About Verizon Business

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ - News), is a leading provider of advanced communications and information technology (IT) solutions to large business and government customers worldwide. Combining unsurpassed global network reach with advanced communications, security and other professional service capabilities, Verizon Business delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world. For more information, visit Verizon Business.

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 Verizon.com. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.




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Source: Verizon Business

[Sailorcancer]

Thats nice of them.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by Sailorcancer

Thats nice of them.

I don't know why the carriers can't put COWs in the main camps/bases and use a VOIP uplink. Have the COWS homed on US networks, and let the servicemen and women call home using their own cell phones whenever they want?

That to me would really be showing our soldiers we care.

-Jay

[walkguru]

Wirelessly posted (Walkguru's: Opera/8.01 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/3.1.8295/1724; en; U; ssr))

yes thats good pr.

[RJB]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

I don't know why the carriers can't put COWs in the main camps/bases and use a VOIP uplink. Have the COWS homed on US networks, and let the servicemen and women call home using their own cell phones whenever they want?

That to me would really be showing our soldiers we care.

-Jay

Or at least show that corporate america cares

[Jerro]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

I don't know why the carriers can't put COWs in the main camps/bases and use a VOIP uplink. Have the COWS homed on US networks, and let the servicemen and women call home using their own cell phones whenever they want?

That to me would really be showing our soldiers we care.

-Jay

the press release says Verizon... not Verizon Wireless. It must be some temporary set up.

[Simon5282]

I have never herd about this program. I was in Iraq over Christmas back in 05

I do know that AT&T has the contract over there, where they provide voice communication. There is about twenty phones in a trailer with a satellite dish outside. It cost nineteen cents a minute to call home. We also get two fifteen minute morale calls a week for free over the DSN lines. Email is always free, and you can send it all the time. I would check mine twice a day, as well as browse the internet.

[Simon5282]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

I don't know why the carriers can't put COWs in the main camps/bases and use a VOIP uplink. Have the COWS homed on US networks, and let the servicemen and women call home using their own cell phones whenever they want?

That to me would really be showing our soldiers we care.

-Jay

That would be awesome. Also, the carrier that would do that would get more business. Think two year contracts. I would pay an ETF to switch to a carrier that would offer that at the FOB that I would be at.

[RJB]

Originally Posted by Jerro

the press release says Verizon... not Verizon Wireless. It must be some temporary set up.

Verizon Business will provide the calls for Iraq-based military personnel, from Nov. 21 through Nov. 28 and from Dec. 21 through Jan. 3

[VZW-LOVER]

great job Verizon!

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

that really says something about the company.......it really shows spirit......brings tears to my eyes....