proxy statement > Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Verizon Communications Inc.
Date: May 5, 2005
Time: 10:00 a.m. Local Time
Place: Houston Marriott Westchase Hotel
2900 Briarpark Drive
Houston, Texas 77042
   

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 six shareholder proposals described on pages 10-17 of this Proxy Statement, as may properly come before the meeting; and
  4. Consider any other business that is properly brought before the meeting.

Only shareholders of record at the close of business on March 7, 2005 will be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. To grant a proxy to vote your shares, you should complete and return the enclosed proxy card, complete the voter instruction form provided by your bank or broker or grant your proxy by telephone or Internet as described on your proxy card or voter instruction form. You may also vote in person at the Annual Meeting. We encourage you to vote promptly whether or not you expect to attend the Annual Meeting.

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 shares of Verizon common stock on March 7, 2005. Please bring that documentation to the meeting in order to receive your admission ticket.

By Order of the Board of Directors

Marianne Drost
Senior Vice President,
     Deputy General Counsel and
     Corporate Secretary
March 21, 2005

The Houston Marriott Westchase Hotel is accessible to all shareholders. If you would like a sign language interpreter at the meeting, please direct your request to the Assistant Corporate Secretary, Verizon Communications Inc., 1095 Avenue of the Americas, Room 3877, New York, New York 10036, so that we receive it no later than April 15, 2005.

Proxy Statement

Beginning March 21, 2005, Verizon is mailing this Proxy Statement and proxy card to its shareholders of record as of March 7, 2005. 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.

Features | Selected Financial Data and MD&A | Financials | Proxy | Investor Relations Website

* This is an interactive electronic version of Verizon’s 2004 Annual Report to Shareholders, and it is intended to be complete and accurate. The contents of this version are qualified in their entirety by reference to the printed version. A reproduction of the printed version is available in PDF format on this website