VERIZON AND VODAFONE TEAM UP TO DELIVER THE FIRST LIVE GLOBAL MOBILE SIMULCAST OF MADONNA PERFORMANCE AT ROSELAND BALLROOM ON AP

Verizon
Wireless and Vodafone announced they are teaming up to deliver the first ever
live global mobile simulcast, with performances from Madonna’s exclusive
up-close and personal show at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City where she
will debut songs from her new “HARD CANDY” CD.  On April 30 (morning of
May 1 in the UK), Verizon Wireless and Vodafone
will broadcast four songs live from Madonna’s historic performance. 
Available exclusively in the U.S. to Verizon Wireless V CAST Music customers
and in Cyprus, Egypt, France (SFR), Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy,
Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Romania, South Africa (Vodacom), Spain, and
UK to Vodafone customers, this mobile broadcast will reach hundreds of millions
of Madonna fans via their mobile phones, celebrating the release of Madonna’s
11th studio album for Warner Bros. Records, “HARD CANDY.”  The mobile
broadcast is currently scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. EST via Verizon Wireless V CAST
Performances and 3 a.m. GMT on May 1 on Vodafone Live. The four songs will be
archived on the V CAST Performances channel so fans that are unable to join
live can enjoy this exclusive performance for 30 days.

 

“Madonna is
truly one of the most iconic artists of our time, and together with Vodafone we
are proud to deliver our customers the first global simulcast of this exclusive
performance to fans across the world via their mobile phones,” said Ed Ruth,
director of digital music for Verizon. 

 

“As a
leader in the digital music industry we’re providing our customers closer
access to music from top artists and events, allowing them to enjoy their
favorite content both on their PCs and mobile phones,” said Frank Rovekamp,
global chief marketing officer, Vodafone Group. “Vodafone’s strategy is to offer
different music flavors and innovative formats allowing customers to experience
music on their mobile in any way they wish.”

 

“HARD
CANDY” is the follow up to Madonna’s “CONFESSIONS ON A DANCE FLOOR” which
debuted at number one in 30 countries and has sold more than 8 million copies
to date.  “HARD CANDY” has been described as a brilliant up-tempo
collection of 12 songs in which Madonna remains ensconced in club mode, but
this time adds an urban hip-hop beat in collaboration with musical partners Timbaland,
Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes, and Nate “Danja” Hills.

 

Verizon
Wireless customers will be among the handful of lucky winners who will attend
the Roseland Ballroom show.  Fans who downloaded the full-song, ringtone
or ringback tone of Timbaland’s exclusive mobile underground remix of “4
Minutes” through Verizon Wireless’ V CAST Music service had a chance to win a
mobile ticket to this exclusive Madonna performance.  The lucky winners
received tickets on their mobile phones, which will admit them and one friend
to Roseland on Wednesday evening.  For more information, visit www.vzmobilestudio.com/madonna.

 

Madonna, a
multi GRAMMY^® Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, cultural
icon, world-renowned stage performer, video visionary, children’s book author,
director, and documentary filmmaker, has sold 200 million albums in the course
of her unprecedented two decade-plus career and was inducted into the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame on March 10, 2008.

 

In addition
to Madonna’s original “4 Minutes” track, co-produced by Timbaland and Justin
Timberlake and Nate “Danja” Hills, and the underground mobile remix available
on Verizon Wireless’ V CAST Music and Vodafone, exclusive video footage of
Madonna, Timbaland and Justin Timberlake’s mobile underground remix recording
session is now available on Verizon Wireless’ V CAST Video service.

 

For more
information on how to download Timbaland’s mobile underground remix of
Madonna’s “4 Minutes” featuring Justin Timberlake, fans can text MADONNA to
8933.  For more information on V CAST Music from Verizon Wireless and the
company’s mobile producer in residence program, visit a Verizon Wireless
Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com/music.

 

About
Verizon Wireless

Verizon
Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable wireless voice and data network,
serving 67.2 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with
69,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon
Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD).  For more
information, go to: 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
Vodafone

Vodafone is
the world’s leading international mobile communications group with over 252
million proportionate customers as at 31st December 2007. Vodafone currently has equity
interests in 25 countries across five continents and a further 41 partner
networks worldwide. For more information, please visit www.vodafone.com.