Bundled Service, Unbundled Customer Service

Memo to telecom service providers: "We never thanked you, but you did a great job offering us consolidated billing. It is hard to remember now, as for the last few years yo have been so aggressive in promoting bundled services, but five years ago, this was a major pain point. Three bills for ISP, cable and telephone, and usually three different due dates a well

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Verizon Wireless Invests $155 Million to Enhance Florida Network During 2008

Florida Network Now 100 Percent 3G; Investment Totals $1.8 Billion in State since 2000

Verizon Wireless announced today that it invested nearly $155 million to further expand and enhance coverage to customers throughout Florida in 2008. The company’s ongoing network investment now totals $1.8 billion in Florida since the company was formed.

The company completed enhancements to its 3G high-speed wireless network throughout the state this year, allowing customers to access advanced wireless services more reliably and at even faster broadband speeds. The enhancements, which took nearly two years to complete, entailed installing the most advanced hardware and software on thousands of cell sites in the Verizon Wireless network in Florida, as well as updating and optimizing technology in five Verizon Wireless regional network switching facilities throughout the state.

In addition, Verizon Wireless constructed more than 90 new advanced digital cell sites throughout the state in 2008.

These upgrades help provide high-speed access to advanced services such as V CAST – which allows customers to stream video clips, play cutting-edge 3D games and download full song tracks over the air; and VZ Navigator – a location-based service offering maps, audible driving directions, traffic updates, gas station locations and pricing.

This technology also enables customers to wirelessly access their e-mail and calendars, the Internet and other information anytime, anywhere via a secure connection with the company’s BroadbandAccess service. BroadbandAccess offers average download speeds of 600 kilobits per second (kbps) to 1.4 megabits per second and upload speeds of 500-800 kbps, which means being able to upload or download a 1 Megabyte e-mail attachment – the equivalent of a small PowerPoint^® presentation or a large PDF file – in less than two seconds.

Small Businesses See 10 Percent Increase on Cyber Monday

Consumers Buying from Smaller Online Retailers Too

Network Solutions, a leading provider of small business web services, announced today that its more than 7,000 e-commerce customers saw a collective 10 percent year-over-year increase in sales on Cyber Monday, the highly anticipated start of online holiday shopping. While retailers across the country reported slow same-store sales, smaller online entrepreneurs enjoyed a jump in holiday sales this year, with more consumers shopping online in greater numbers.

As many brick-and-mortar shop owners struggle with increased costs and shrinking in-store sales, small businesses with e-commerce sites are augmenting their revenues with online sales. As more consumers search Google first to find bargains and products, local small businesses with properly marketed Web sites are benefiting from national exposure. According to a report from iProspect and Jupiter Research, 62 percent of searchers click on a link within the first page of results. Having an e-Commerce Web site and using search engine optimization tools from Network Solutions, small businesses have secured new audiences to increase holiday sales.

“With small businesses across the country struggling, Network Solutions’ is excited to see that our e-commerce customers are benefiting from greater exposure,” said Scott Ableman, Chief Marketing Officer at Network Solutions. “Whether you own a small shop or work out of your home, having a professional web site is an economical way to build sales during tough times.”

Bebo Launches ‘Social Inbox’

Bebo Builds on the Foundations of Social Networking to Become the First Major Network to Give Consumers a One-Stop Destination from Which to Experience Life Online

Social Media Network Opens Its Doors to Aggregated Social Feeds, Mail and Media Recommendations

Launch Companies Include Twitter, Flickr, Del.icio.us, AIM, YouTube, Gmail, Yahoo! Mail and AOL Mail

Every AOL and AIM User Now Can Now Log into Bebo Using Their Credentials

Bebo today made it easier for Internet users to manage their online life by providing users with a one-stop “Social Inbox” that combines e-mail, social networking and media recommendations in one easy-to-use interface. Designed to allow consumers to organize their lives online, Bebo’s Social Inbox makes it simple for users to keep in touch with the information and people who are important to them. The Social Inbox aggregates feeds and updates from Twitter, Flickr, Del.icio.us, YouTube, AIM and others, so users can see at-a-glance what's going on in their online world. The new experience also offers one-click access to Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, AOL Mail, as well as user-selected media favorites, such as videos, music and photos. In addition, more than 100 million* users of AOL and AIM can now log directly into the Bebo service, http://www.bebo.com, using their existing screen names.

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Geek Squad Announces In-Store and At-Home Gaming Set-Up and Customization Services

With Geek Squad’s gaming optimization service, parents gain the upper hand and take back control of the family’s game system

Parents, the day has come. Today tech support task force Geek Squad announced gaming set-up services and parental control customization for today’s most popular consoles. Available at Geek Squad Precincts in Best Buy stores nationwide, Geek Squad’s gaming services are an easy and affordable way to set-up a system’s parental controls and user accounts, transfer data to a new system and connect to the Internet.

Even as they’re serving the public, policing technology and protecting the world, many Geek Squad employees are also parents. They know firsthand that when it comes to video games, keeping Pac Man and the kids safe from Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde is the least of a parent’s concerns. With gaming systems now offering online features that encourage interaction among players, any parent would be ill-advised to send a child out into the virtual world without the proper parental control settings.

“I love to play video games with my sons, but I can’t always be there to monitor what’s coming into our home via the gaming console,” said Geek Squad Deputy of Counter Intelligence Frances Gallup. “As a parent, I can attest to the necessity of parental controls on video game systems. And, as a Geek Squad Agent, I’m thrilled to offer an easy and affordable solution to the rigors of setting up and navigating a gaming system’s parental controls.”

“Just like with TV and film, there’s a broad diversity of video games available today, and many games now enable online competition,” said ESRB president Patricia Vance. “Geek Squad’s new gaming services are a great way to ensure that your system’s parental controls are secure and working properly, so that your children are only able to play games that you’ve deemed appropriate, at times of the day that you’ve approved and/or with other players that you know.”

Bridgevine Ranked Number 57 on Deloitte's Technology Fast 500 list for 2008

Attributes extraordinary revenue growth to compelling customer value proposition, marquee partnerships, and proprietary marketing software platform.

Bridgevine today announced that it ranked number 57 on Deloitte's 2008 Technology Fast 500, a ranking of the 500 fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications and life sciences companies in the U.S. and Canada. Rankings are based on percentage of fiscal year revenue growth over five years, from 2003-2007. Bridgevine grew 4,582 percent during this period.

Bridgevine's CEO, Vinny Olmstead, credits the growth to a strong customer value proposition, marquee partnerships and a world-class performance marketing software platform. He said, "We're honored to be a part of this esteemed group of companies named to the Fast 500 list. It's a testament to the hard work and dedication of our employees and our impressive list of valued partners."

"Deloitte's Technology Fast 500 recognizes companies that have achieved extraordinary growth in North America's most innovative and competitive market sectors," said Phil Asmundson, Deloitte LLP vice chairman and national managing partner for Technology, Media and Telecommunications. "We congratulate Bridgevine on this significant accomplishment."

Fast 500 Selection and Qualifying Criteria

The Fast 500 ranks the fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications and life sciences companies in North America. It is compiled from Deloitte's regional North American Fast 50 programs, nominations submitted directly to the Fast 500, and public company database research. Companies are selected based on percentage revenue growth from 2003 to 2007.

Entrants must own proprietary intellectual property or proprietary technology that contributes to a significant portion of the company's operating revenues or devote a significant proportion of revenues to research and development of technology. Using other companies' technology or intellectual property in a unique way does not qualify. Base-year operating revenues must be at least $50,000 USD or $75,000 CD, and current-year operating revenues must be at least $5 million USD or CD. Companies must be in business a minimum of five years, and they must be headquartered within North America.

About Bridgevine
Founded in 2003, Bridgevine, Inc. has offices in Atlanta, GA, and Vero Beach, FL. The company's performance-based merchandising platform empowers marquee advertisers to efficiently market their products through multiple online and offline channels. Focused on the service industry, the company's customer base of more than 110 leading companies includes Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Qwest, Verizon, Protect America, Real Networks, Verizon, Speakeasy, Covad, and D-link. The platform powers in excess of 1,000 websites and is licensed by leading retailers, websites, and Fortune 500 companies. The company also operates Bridgevine.com, a website dedicated to consumer for comparative shopping and exclusive promotions from the leading service providers. For more information, please visit www.bridgevine.com.


Corporate Contact:
Mark Ballard
Bridgevine, Inc.
772-539-0618
mark.ballard@bridgevine.com

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