At the Annual Meeting of Shareholders, you will be asked to:

1. Elect Directors;
2. Ratify the appointment of the independent registered public accounting firm;
3. Act upon such other matters, including the shareholder proposals described in this Proxy Statement, as may properly come before the meeting; and
4. Consider any other business that is properly brought before the meeting.

Shareholders who own their shares of record at the close of business on March 5, 2007 are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. You may vote on the Internet or by telephone or by mailing a proxy card or you may vote your shares by returning the voter instruction form provided by your bank or broker. You may also vote in person at the Annual Meeting. Please review the instructions for the various voting options which are provided on the proxy card. We encourage you to vote your shares as soon as possible.

You will need an admission ticket to attend the meeting. If you are a registered shareholder, an admission ticket is attached to your proxy card. If your shares are not registered in your name, you should ask the broker, bank or other institution that holds your shares to provide you with a copy of your account statement or a letter from the firm confirming that you owned Verizon common stock on March 5, 2007. You can obtain an admission ticket by presenting that documentation at the meeting.

By Order of the Board of Directors

Marianne Drost
Senior Vice President,
     Deputy General Counsel and
     Corporate Secretary

March 28, 2007

PROXY STATEMENT

Beginning March 28, 2007, Verizon is mailing this Proxy Statement and proxy card to its shareholders of record as of March 5, 2007. The Board of Directors is soliciting proxies in connection with the election of Directors and other actions to be taken at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders and at any adjournment or postponement of that Meeting. The Board of Directors encourages you to read the Proxy Statement and to vote on the matters to be considered at the Annual Meeting.