Essex County, New Jersey Residents To Benefit From Verizon Wireless Network Expansion

MORRISTOWN, NJ — In a continuing effort to provide the best wireless service for residents, commuters and visitors in Essex County, Verizon Wireless, operator of the nation's most reliable wireless network, has expanded its network with two new cell sites.

The new Essex County cell sites will improve network coverage and capacity in the following areas:

• In West Orange, along portions of Routes 280 and 10, and sections of Northfield and Prospect avenues.
• In Maplewood, along Springfield and Millburn avenues and on Valley Street including the Maplewood Country Club and Memorial Park.

Verizon Wireless invested $2 billion to enhance its New York Metro area network and more than $35 billion across the nation in the past seven years to stay ahead of the growing demand for the company's voice and data services, like TXT and Picture Messaging; VZ Navigator^SM, which provides audible turn-by-turn directions; and V CAST Music which allows customers to download full-songs directly to their V CAST-capable wireless phones and Microsoft^® Windows^® XP-based PCs.

"Reliable networks are not built overnight," said Charles Hand, president of the company's New York Metro region. "Our New Jersey customers are among the most demanding and tech savvy in the nation and Verizon Wireless continues to efficiently invest in network enhancements to deliver the reliable and innovative services customers want."

Demand for Verizon Wireless services continued last year when the company added nearly eight million new customers, more than any other wireless carrier, and improved upon its industry-leading customer retention rates. Verizon Wireless now serves more than 59 million customers nationwide.

Verizon Wireless was the first national wireless provider to commercially launch a high-speed wireless broadband network in the United States. BroadbandAccess service, now available in much of the New York Metro area and nationwide to more than half the U.S. population, provides customers with high-speed Internet access, access to corporate intranets and traditional e-mail functionality via laptop computers and personal digital assistants.

Nationally, Verizon Wireless' real-life test men and women drive 98 specially equipped vehicles nearly one million miles every year 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 confirm that 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.

For more information on Verizon Wireless, please visit www.verizonwireless.com.  

*Editors Note: Test Man Ride-Along Program: To set up an interview and ride-along test drive with your local Verizon Wireless test man or woman, please contact Kimberly Ancin at 845-429-3839.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 59 million voice and data 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.

####