FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *   Stratton John G 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 01/01/2012 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC [VZ] (Last) (First) (Middle) VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC., 140 WEST STREET, 29TH FLOOR 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) EVP & Pres. - VZ Enterprise 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) (Street) NEW YORK, NY 10007 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 4) 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4) 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5) 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5) Common Stock 46 I By 401(k)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.			SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Phantom Stock (unitized)	  (1)	  (1)	Common Stock	73,586	$ (1)	I	By Deferred Compensation Plan
Restricted Stock Units - 2009 - 11 Award Cycle	  (2)	  (2)	Common Stock	33,259	$ (2)	D	Â
Restricted Stock Units - 2010 - 12 Award Cycle	  (3)	  (3)	Common Stock	37,113	$ (3)	D	Â
Restricted Stock Units - 2011 - 13 Award Cycle	  (4)	  (4)	Common Stock	34,333	$ (4)	D	Â

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Stratton John G VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC. 140 WEST STREET, 29TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY 10007	Â	Â	  EVP & Pres. - VZ Enterprise	Â

Signatures

William L. Horton, Jr. attorney-in-fact for John G. Stratton		01/10/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Each share of phantom stock is the economic equivalent of a portion of one share of common stock and is settled in cash. The shares of phantom stock become payable upon events established by the reporting person in accordance with the deferred compensation plan. The number of shares is based upon 257,079.815 units held as of January 1, 2012.
(2)	Each Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) represents the right to receive a cash payment equal to the value of one share of common stock, plus accrued dividends, upon vesting. Subject to the terms of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement, each RSU vested on December 31, 2011, and the cash payment will be based on the closing stock price on the last trading day in December 2011.
(3)	Each Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) represents the right to receive one share of common stock, plus accrued dividends in the form of stock, upon vesting. Subject to the terms of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement, each RSU will vest on December 31, 2012.
(4)	Each Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) represents the right to receive one share of common stock, plus accrued dividends in the form of stock, upon vesting. Subject to the terms of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement, each RSU will vest on December 31, 2013.

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