Verizon Wireless Introduces Express Network To Key U.S. Cities In The Midwest, South, Northeast And The Pacific Northwest

BEDMINSTER, NJ — Verizon Wireless, operator of the nation's best and largest wireless network, today announced the availability of its 1XRTT Express Network in thirteen additional markets, bringing total coverage to one third of the Verizon Wireless national footprint and 72 million Americans.

In the Express Network expansion wave, millions more Verizon Wireless customers will have access to the high-speed data network. Access is available in the following areas beginning today: In the Northeast: Buffalo and Rochester, N.Y. and Pittsburgh, Pa.; in the Midwest: Chicago, Ill. and St. Louis, Mo.; in Texas: Dallas and Houston; several cities in Florida: Miami, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Lakeland and Key West; and in Portland, Ore.

Based on user experiences since the initial January 2002 launch, customers can expect minimum data transmission speeds between 40and 60 kilobits per second (kbps) with bursts up to 144 kbps, similar to speeds users are accustomed to when dialing in from their home PC. Business and individual Express Network customers can access the 1XRTT network with the Verizon Wireless 2235 handset from Kyocera and compatible Mobile Office kit used as a modem for their laptops, or by using the AirCard 555 PC card from Sierra Wireless for their laptops and select PDAs. Express Network subscribers on the high-speed data network can now have access to their company network or Internet at faster speeds.

The Express Network - the nation's only high-speed wireless data network with a sizeable footprint - is already available to customers in the Northeast U.S., from Norfolk, Va., Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Md., Philadelphia, Pa., New York, N.Y. up to Boston, Mass. and in Portland, Maine; in the technology-savvy Silicon Valley and San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California; and in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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Customers with a monthly digital voice calling plan of $35 or more can sign up for the Express Network, which lets customers use any of their airtime allowance minutes for voice or data, for an additional $30 per month. For enterprise customers, Verizon Wireless recently announced pricing based on mega byte usage for heavy data users with rate plans starting at $35 per month for 10 MB, $55 per month for 20 MB, with tiers up to 150 MB of data. On the $35 monthly rate plan, customers can download 10 MB of data - equivalent to thousands of emails or hundreds of Web pages. Pricing may vary slightly by market.

"The response we received from our initial rollout has been overwhelmingly positive," said John Stratton, vice president and chief marketing officer of Verizon Wireless. "We are encouraged by feedback from Express Network users and will continue our aggressive 1XRTT expansion throughout the United States."

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless is the nation's leading provider of wireless communications and Internet services. The company has the largest nationwide wireless network and 29 million customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Reporters and editors can find more information on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com.

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