Verizon Network Expansion in Wilmington, Delaware

Press Release Source: Verizon Wireless


Wilmington, Delaware, Residents to Benefit From Verizon Wireless Network Expansion
Monday October 15, 9:00 am ET
Investing to Stay Ahead of Growing Demand for Wireless Calling, Data Access, and Music


WILMINGTON, Del., Oct. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- In a continuing effort to provide the best wireless service for local residents in Wilmington, Verizon Wireless, the leading wireless company with the most reliable voice and data network, has expanded its network with a new cell site. The new site increases coverage and capacity along Route 13 and 13B to Haines Avenue and 28th Street and along I-495 to the Delaware River.

This network expansion is part of the company's aggressive multi-billion dollar network investment each year (more than $1 billion every 90 days) to stay ahead of the growing demand for Verizon Wireless voice and data services. The company has invested more than $120 million this year to enhance and expand its network in southeastern, central and northeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware, bringing the network investment in the region to more than $1 billion since 2000.

Verizon Wireless has invested more than $40 billion over the last seven years - $5 billion on average every year since the company was formed - into its national wireless network as part of its commitment to offer customers the most reliable service available, including wireless data services such as picture messaging, text messaging, and the company's exclusive V CAST service. V CAST brings video clips of TV shows, music on demand and other multimedia services to wireless phones over Verizon Wireless' high-speed EV-DO network. Verizon Wireless's high-speed third generation wireless broadband network has been enhanced with EV-DO Rev. A technology. This enhancement allows customers who use the company's flagship business data service, BroadbandAccess, to interact with Web-based applications, download music over-the-air, access to e-mail, everyday corporate data, the Internet, and more at speeds that are eight to nine times faster than before. For example, BroadbandAccess customers with Rev. A compatible devices can now expect average download speeds of 600 kilobits per second (kbps) to 1.4 megabits per second and average upload speeds of 500-800 kbps, which means 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.

Strong demand for Verizon Wireless services continued during the second quarter of 2007 as the company reported 1.3 million new customer additions. For the 11th consecutive quarter, Verizon Wireless also Residents Benefit From Verizon Wireless Network Expansion/ page 2 led the wireless industry in customer loyalty. The company posted a churn (customer turnover) rate of 1.3%, well below the rate reported by the other major wireless carriers.

Verizon Wireless tests its network and those of its competitors to ensure the Verizon Wireless network remains the nation's most reliable. Nationally, Verizon Wireless' real-life test men and women drive 98 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 determine if voice calls and data connections are successful on the first attempt and stay connected. Vehicles are equipped with computers that automatically make more than three million voice call attempts and more than 16 million data tests annually on Verizon Wireless' network and the networks of other carriers.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 62.1 million customers. The largest US wireless company and largest wireless data provider, based on revenues, Verizon Wireless is headquartered in Basking Ridge, NJ, with 67,000 employees nationwide. The company is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ - News) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD - News News). 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 < http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia >.




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Source: Verizon Wireless