NEW YORK, May 14 (Reuters) - Verizon Wireless dividendpayments may be lean going forward as the venture of VerizonCommunications Inc and Vodafone Group Plc conserves cash to pay down debt and prepare for a spectrumauction, a top Verizon Communications executive said on Tuesday.
Verizon Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo told analystsduring an investor conference the wireless venture would usecash to pay down $5 billion in debt due at the end of this yearand early next year.
It also plans to prepare for a U.S. auction of wirelessairwaves that could take place as soon as 2014, Shammo said. Hespoke a day after Verizon Wireless announced a $7 billiondividend that compared to $18.5 billion of payouts made in twoinstallments in 2012.