BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and LOS ANGELES, Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless, the nation's leading wireless service provider, and IN-FUSIO, the international mobile games publisher, today announced the launch of the Halo: Mobile Portal for Verizon Wireless Get It Now(R) customers to download on their wireless phones. The Halo: Mobile Portal is a way for fans of one of the best selling Xbox(R) games to stay connected to the Halo(TM) Universe, even when they are away from their Xbox or PC. By downloading the Halo: Mobile Portal, Verizon Wireless customers with select Get It Now-enabled phones can customize their phones with official wallpapers and tones of their favorite Halo characters and scenes, check their most recent Xbox Live Gamertag statistics, send messages, get gameplay tips and receive weekly updates on new limited edition content.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061004/NYW020 )

Halo: Mobile Portal is based on the Halo franchise created by Bungie Studios, one of Microsoft's premiere first party game development studios. To date, the Halo franchise has sold more than 14.5 million copies on the Xbox and PC and dedicated fans worldwide have logged more than half a billion hours playing Halo 2 via the XboxLive online service. The Halo franchise also includes toys, books and an announced Universal Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox feature film.

With Halo: Mobile Portal on Verizon Wireless Get It Now-enabled phones, customers can access:

* Wallpapers - Artwork based on popular and even rare Halo images, including the forthcoming Halo 3, will be available to download, featuring the humans, Covenant, other inhabitants and various game environments. Fans can even create their own custom Master Chief wallpaper - choosing from poses featuring various weapons and different armor colors - and then set it up as the backdrop for the screen of their phone. * Ring tones - Tones developed exclusively for the Halo: Mobile Portal will be available and will include Halo music, in-game sound effects and actual dialogue from the game, featuring the voices of Master Chief, Cortana, Sgt. Johnson, a Grunt, an Elite and a Marine (voiced by comedian David Cross). * Xbox Live Gamertag Stats - The ability to retrieve statistics from Xbox Live on any player's recent Halo games by entering the appropriate Gamertag. * "SMS Challenges" - An option which will allow fans to send a message via their phone to a buddy to set-up a time to play, talk trash, or discuss anything they want without having to leave the Halo: Mobile Portal. * The Vault - The section will feature a locked area which can only be accessed through one of the many codes hidden throughout the world of Halo, giving fans access to limited edition content. * The Halo Story - This section will include re-caps of the various elements of Halo Universe and new stories as they are revealed. * Tips - An area where fans can get regularly updated advice on improving their Halo gameplay skills. * TXT Alerts - The option to receive breaking Halo news alerts right to the handset.

Verizon Wireless customers can download the Halo: Mobile Portal in the getPIX shopping aisle of the Get It Now virtual store. There is no charge for the Halo: Mobile Portal, but in order to download the application, customers must purchase credits which can then be applied towards wallpapers or ring tones. All content through the Halo: Mobile Portal will range from one to three credits to download and customers have the option to buy either one credit for $2.49, three credits for $5.99 or five credits for $9.49. Download charges for Get It Now applications vary, TXT Alerts and SMS messages will be billed according to the customer's calling plan and airtime charges apply when browsing, downloading and using certain applications. Customers need Verizon Wireless digital service to access the Get It Now virtual store.

The Halo: Mobile Portal is available on an array of Get It Now-enabled phones, including the Kyocera KX1 and KX2; LG VX4500, VX4600, VX4650, VX4700, VX5200, VX6000, VX6100, VX7000, VX8000 and VX8100; Motorola 840, E815, v260, v265, v276, v325, RAZR V3c, RAZR V3m and v710; Samsung a570, a670, a790, a795, a850, a950 and n330; as well as the Verizon Wireless CDM 8615, CDM 8900, CDM 8910 and CDM 8940.

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/.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 54.8 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at http://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 http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About IN-FUSIO

IN-FUSIO is a leading international mobile entertainment company, publishing games and applications for cell phones.

IN-FUSIO entertainment applications are enjoyed worldwide by over 17 million people and available through more than 300 carriers and portals. The company's portfolio includes licensed applications based on Microsoft's Halo(R) franchise, games based on Microsoft's Age of Empires(R) 2, Midtown Madness(R) 3 and Zoo Tycoon(R) 2, MTV Network's Neopets(R), Twentieth Century Fox's Die Hard, Canal Studio Image's The Terminator(TM), Tour de France, Golden Tee(TM), and original titles such as the award winning Shado Fighter and Wallbreaker.

IN-FUSIO has offices in Los Angeles (North American headquarters), Chicago, London, Bordeaux (global headquarters), Dusseldorf and Shanghai. For more information, please visit http://www.in-fusio.com/.

Get It Now is a registered trademark of Verizon Wireless. Microsoft, the Microsoft Game Studios logo, Age of Empires, Ensemble Studios, Halo, Hexic, MechAssault, Midtown Madness, MSN, Project Gotham Racing, Windows, Xbox, and Zoo Tycoon are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries and are used under license by owner.

CONTACT: Jeffrey Nelson, Verizon Wireless, +1-908-559-7519,
Jeffrey.Nelson@verizonwireless.com; Asif Husain, Fusion PR for IN-FUSIO,
+0310-481-1431 ext. 14, asif.husain@fusionpr.com

Web site: http://www.verizonwireless.com/
http://www.in-fusio.com/
http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia