Vodafone to Reopen Verizon Partnership

Vodafone Group, which this month lost a bid to buy AT&T; Wireless Services Inc., will renegotiate its partnership with and remain a minority shareholder in Verizon Wireless.

Chief Executive Arun Sarin said he would open talks over the dividend agreement with Verizon Wireless parent Verizon Communications Inc. and other issues, including a wireless partnership in Italy.

The Verizon accord that expires in March 2005 was worth about $1 billion to British Vodafone last year. Verizon Communications’ 23% stake in Vodafone’s Italian unit is among the topics, Sarin said.