Exhibit 5

 November 26, 2001

 Verizon Communications Inc.
 1095 Avenue of the Americas
 New York, New York 10036

 Verizon Global Funding Corporation
 3900 Washington Avenue
 Wilmington, Delaware

 Ladies and Gentlemen:

 I have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-4 of Verizon Global
 Funding Corp. (the "Company") and Verizon Communications Inc. ("Verizon") on
 Form S-4 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the accompanying
 Prospectus pertaining to the offer to exchange $2,000,000,000 aggregate
 principal amount of Floating Rate Notes due 2002 registered under the
 Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Exchange Notes") for previously issued
 Floating Rate Notes due 2002 which were not so registered (the "Restricted
 Notes"). The Exchange Notes are supported as to payment of principal and
 interest pursuant to the terms of a Support Agreement dated as of October 31,
 2000 between the Company and Verizon (the "Support Agreement").

 I, or attorneys under my supervision, have also examined the Company's Restated
 Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, and such corporate records and other
 documents as I have deemed necessary to enable me to express the opinions set
 forth below. I am familiar with the proceedings taken and proposed to be taken
 by you under my supervision as your counsel in connection with the proposed
 exchange offer and the related issuance of the Exchange Notes.

 It is my opinion that:

 1.   the Exchange Notes, upon the issuance and exchange thereof in the manner
      contemplated in the Registration Statement, will be legally and validly
      issued and will be binding obligations of the Company; and

 2.   the Support Agreement is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the
      Company and Verizon.

 I hereby consent to the reference to me under the caption "Legal Matters" in
 the Prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement and to the filing
 of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

 Very truly yours,


/s/ William P. Barr