Verizon Wireless launches faster new wireless broadband network

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Verizon Wireless, the nation's leading wireless provider, today announced it is launching its next-generation high-speed wireless broadband network in cities throughout the country, giving customers the ability to upload files five to six times faster than before, giving them faster access to e-mail, everyday corporate data, the Internet and more. Based on CDMA 1x Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Revision A (Rev. A) technology, the network enhancements will launch initially in Mass., including Boston and its suburbs, the Richmond and Hampton Roads, Va. areas, Chicago and its suburbs and including Gary, Ind., Salt Lake City and other cities in Utah, as well as in Florida throughout the state's entire existing area of Verizon Wireless' wireless broadband network. Verizon Wireless customers in those areas will have data uplink speeds significantly faster than the company's award-winning national EV-DO network.

The company's existing EV-DO network enables customers to access BroadbandAccess on their laptops, e-mail on their PDAs, and V CAST Video and Music on their wireless phones. The company's existing national wireless broadband network — the first in the nation — is the most reliable wireless broadband network in the country and already available to more than 200 million Americans in 242 major metropolitan areas and 180 major airports from coast to coast.

The company's flagship business data service, BroadbandAccess, will run faster and more efficiently with these network enhancements. Customers in enhanced coverage areas can take advantage of upload speeds that are five to six times faster than with the company's existing wireless broadband network, while interacting with Web-based applications with improved latency for a better customer experience. For example, BroadbandAccess customers in enhanced wireless broadband coverage areas can expect average download speeds of 450-800 kilobits per second (kbps) and average upload speeds of 300-400 kbps, which translates to downloading a 1 Megabyte e-mail attachment — the equivalent of a small PowerPoint® presentation or a large PDF file — in less than 15 seconds and uploading the same size file in less than 25 seconds. The enhanced network coverage allows Verizon Wireless customers to download files approximately six times faster than customers of wireless service providers who do not use EV-DO technology.

Today, Verizon Wireless also announced a new compact USB720 wireless modem that will be available tomorrow, which boasts high-speed wireless broadband Internet access and the ability to connect to all the latest notebooks, desktops and handhelds via an industry standard USB interface. The USB720 joins the AirCard 595 PC Card from Verizon Wireless as the first two enhanced wireless broadband network devices from Verizon Wireless. Both devices are available through business sales channels today and will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com tomorrow.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. Business customers can visit www.verizonwireless.com/business or contact a Verizon Wireless sales representative at 1-800-VZW-4BIZ.