Verizon Wireless Closes 2006 With Statewide Expansions In Alabama Of Nation's Most Reliable Network

BIRMINGHAM, AL — In its ongoing effort to provide the best wireless service in Alabama, Verizon Wireless, owner and operator of the nation's most reliable wireless network, expanded its Alabama network with multiple new cell sites and network enhancements throughout the state to close out 2006. During the year, Verizon Wireless added more than 40 new cell sites across the state and continued the expansion of its' Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) third generation (3G) wide-area network in Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery and Tuscaloosa.

"Alabama's wireless customers increasingly continue to choose Verizon Wireless, because of the network quality and services we offer across the state. As evidence of that, minutes of use by Verizon Wireless customers in Alabama increased more than 28% over 2005," says Jeff Mango, President Verizon Wireless Alabama/Georgia Region. "Wireless customers throughout Alabama continue to demand the best — and Verizon Wireless is committed to continue doing everything we can to give it to them. We'll continue to focus on meeting our customers' growing wireless needs by delivering on our brand promise — the best, most reliable wireless network."

In the last quarter of 2006, network coverage and capacity have been enhanced in the following cities:

• Good Hope - Enhanced digital coverage along I-65 and the town of Good Hope
• Hunter - Enhanced digital coverage west of Maxwell Air Force Base along US 31 west of Montgomery
• Autaugaville - Enhanced digital coverage in the town of Autaguville and along AL 14 west of Prattville
• Pinson - Enhanced digital coverage in the town of Clay and along CR-30 Old Springfield Road
• Birmingham - Enhanced digital calling capacity to Inverness businesses and retail shopping centers along Hwy 280 and Heather Lake areas
• Eastaboga - Enhanced digital coverage along 1-20 between Talladega Super Speedway and Anniston
• Lincoln - Enhanced digital coverage along 1-20 and US 78 between Lincoln and Logan Martin Lake, including the Honda manufacturing complex
• Riverside - Enhanced digital coverage along I-20 and US 78 near Logan Martin Lake area
• Trussville - Enhanced digital coverage for the Cahaba Valley Country Club and surrounding residential growth area of East Trussville along US-11
• Cedar Bluff - Enhanced digital coverage along AL Hwy 9 and Hwy 68 from Cedar Bluff to the AL/GA border, as well as the city of Gaylesville
• Wedowee - Enhanced digital coverage for the City of Wedowee, including US 431 in northern Randolph County and AL 48 to Lake Wedowee
• Roanoke - Enhanced digital coverage in the town of Roanoke and along US 431 between Wedowee and Roanoke
• Lineville - Enhanced digital coverage in the town of Lineville and along AL 48 between Lineville and Lake Wedowee
• Millerville - Enhanced digital coverage in the Millerville area and along Hwy 9 in southern Clay County

Capacity enhancements to enable more voice and data traffic were made to multiple sites throughout the state including Fort Payne, Tuskegee, Russellville, Huntsville, Florence, Rainsville, Eufaula, Addison and Tuscaloosa.

A major development in 2006 for Verizon Wireless was the continued expansion of its broadband EV-DO 3G network service into several Alabama cities. Customers in Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery, Mobile, and Tuscaloosa can now access high-speed wireless Internet, e-mail, mobile music, and more. BroadbandAccess delivers typical user download speeds of 400-700 kilobits per second (kbps). BroadbandAccess provides mobile workers access to their corporate information just as if they were attached via a high-speed wired connection, but with the freedom of true mobility. V CAST, also available on the EV-DO network, was the nation's first 3G wireless multimedia service for consumers. V CAST delivers short content on-demand, 3D games and music videos to V CAST capable phones from leading and respected news and entertainment sources and other innovative content providers.

Verizon Wireless has invested $35 billion in the last seven years - $5 billion on average every year since the company was formed — to increase the coverage and capacity of its national network and to add new services. In Alabama and Georgia in 2006, Verizon Wireless has invested more than $200 million in network enhancements to stay ahead of the growing demand for Verizon Wireless products and services in this area.

"We are committed to providing the best service to our customers no matter when and where they need service," says Mango. "The developments and investments we undertook in 2006 are in direct response to the remarkable growth in the demand for our wireless service. We look forward to an even more exciting 2007."

The company's most reliable wireless network claim is based on network studies performed by real-life test men and test women who inspired the company's national advertising campaign. These engineers conduct more than 750,000 voice call attempts and 4 million data tests quarterly on Verizon Wireless' and other national carriers' networks while traveling nearly 220,000 miles in specially equipped, company owned test vehicles.

Editor's Note/Not for Publication: If you are interested in setting up an interview or ride-along test drive with your local Verizon Wireless test man or woman, please contact Caran Smith at 678-339-4891 or Caran.Smith@verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving more than 59 million customers. The largest US wireless company and largest wireless data provider, based on revenues, Verizon Wireless is headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 65,000 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 www.verizonwireless.com. 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.

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