Oregonians Make More Calls With $59 Million VZW Network Expansion

[Andy]

Oregonians Make More Calls With $59 Million Network Expansion

Network enhancements in first half of 2007 provide increased coverage and faster speeds

Media Contact Info

Georgia Taylor
Georgia.Taylor@VerizonWireless.com
425-603-2894

08/29/2007

PORTLAND, OR — Verizon Wireless spent $59 million to enhance services and coverage throughout Oregon during the first half of 2007. The company’s ongoing Oregon network investment now totals more than $359 million over the past five and a half years – part of its $40 billion nationwide network investment since the company was formed to increase the coverage and capacity of its national network and to add new services.

More calls, more coverage
The company increased coverage in the state by more than 3,500 square miles by adding service in Ashland, Bend, Central Pointe, Klamath Falls, Medford, and Redmond. It also added new cells sites in Beaverton, Chiloquim, Portland, and Salem.

Faster wireless Internet
Along with turning up new cell sites in the state, the company also upgraded its high-speed Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) technology to Revision A (Rev. A). Customers can securely access e-mail, everyday corporate data and the Internet at faster speeds. For example, with the enhancements customers can download a 1 Megabyte e-mail attachment – the equivalent of a small PowerPoint® presentation or a large PDF file – in about eight seconds and upload the same-sized file in less than 13 seconds. The high-speed broadband network also enables V CAST multimedia services including Music, Video, Mobile Web 2.0SM, Wireless Sync or BlackBerry, and more.

“By continuing to expand and enhance our network coverage in Oregon, we stay ahead of growing demand for voice and data services on the nation’s most reliable wireless network. We also ensure our customers stay connected and entertained in unprecedented ways,” said Kelley Kurtzman, regional president of Verizon Wireless.

The company’s ‘most reliable wireless voice and data network’ reputation is based on network studies performed by real-life test men and women throughout the country. These engineers make more than three million voice call attempts annually on Verizon Wireless’ and other national carriers’ networks. They drive approximately 91 specially-equipped vehicles almost 1,000,000 miles annually on Interstate, U.S. and state highways as well as major roads and surface streets in high-population areas, based upon U.S. Census counts, to test network performance, call quality and data network performance on the Verizon Wireless network and the networks of up to seven other wireless carriers.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 62.1 million customers. The largest U.S. wireless company and largest wireless data provider, based on revenues, Verizon Wireless is headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 67,000 employees nationwide. The company is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at Cell Phones, Cell Phone Plans, Cell Phone Accessories - Verizon Wireless. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

Oregonians Make More Calls With $59 Million Network Expansion

[Mobile Mike]

I wonder what effect the Ramcell purchase will have for Verizon in Oregon in addition to these improvements?

[Andy]

Originally Posted by Mobile Mike I wonder what effect the Ramcell purchase will have for Verizon in Oregon in addition to these improvements?

Basically only a lot more native coverage and Verizon will upgrade the system to CDMA, because I think it is mostly AMPS as of right now. Other than that, no big difference other than one competitor out of the game.

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by Andy Other than that, no big difference other than one competitor out of the game.

The Verizonation of Oregon begins...

[Andy]

Originally Posted by Mobile Mike The Verizonation of Oregon begins...

Lol, great times ahead. You know it's actually sad that carriers are starting to gobble up a lot of their small roaming partners- I like roaming. Makes things a little more interesting somehow lol.

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by Andy Lol, great times ahead. You know it's actually sad that carriers are starting to gobble up a lot of their small roaming partners- I like roaming. Makes things a little more interesting somehow lol.

I think, like a lot of business sectors these days, smaller carriers will be swallowed by the big boys, leaving the mom and pops as a thing of the past. It's like the banking industry, there were once so many little banks but nowadays it's just the major ones. I don't think small carriers will last much longer in this industry. This is just a guess, though...