Verizon Wireless Showcases Capabilities Of 4G LTE At FutureMidwest 2011

DETROIT, MI — Verizon Wireless’ network is ready for all the tweeting, blogging, file sharing and Internet surfing that is expected to take place at Eastern Market in Detroit, where hundreds of business and technology leaders will convene April 28 and 29 for FutureMidwest 2011.

Using the strength and reliability of its network, Verizon has built a mobile hotspot that enables hundreds of tech enthusiasts to connect their WiFi-capable devices, such as smart phones, tablets and laptops, to the company’s 4G LTE network and take advantage of the fastest, most advanced wireless network available.

In real-world, fully-loaded network environments, 4G LTE users should experience average data rates of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink. The company, which currently has 4G LTE in 39 markets nationwide, expanded the service to Detroit in February 2011. By the end of this year, Verizon Wireless will bring 4G LTE to an additional 145 markets, including Bay City, Flint, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Saginaw.

“Metro Detroiters have been benefitting from the faster speeds and other advantages that our 4G LTE network provides for a couple of months and the response has been overwhelmingly positive,” said John Granby, president–Michigan/Indiana/Kentucky Region, Verizon Wireless. “This is a unique opportunity to give FutureMidwest attendees a firsthand glimpse at what the best 4G network can offer.”

As a conference sponsor, Verizon Wireless is partnering with FutureMidwest 2011 to deliver highly engaging interactive kiosks. Powered by Verizon’s 4G LTE network, attendees can use the kiosks conveniently located throughout the conference venue to access onscreen maps and preview a series of Detroit tours via vehicles provided by General Motors. With the kiosk technology, attendees also can navigate a map of the city, read more about areas of interest and find places nearby to visit while having the option to send additional information directly to their email or mobile device.

“We’re using the speed of Verizon’s 4G LTE network to show conference attendees all that Detroit has to offer,” said Adrian Pittman, co-founder of FutureMidwest. “We find a number of our attendees have never visited Detroit or really experienced its many wonderful assets. The guided tours, interactive map and video stills are one way of showcasing the features of Detroit in a compressed time period. Once they see how much there is to do here, hopefully they’ll want to come back and stay longer.”

Verizon Wireless’ ongoing network investment in Michigan now totals more than $1.6 billion. Nationally, the company has invested more than $65 billion since it was formed—$6 billion on average every year—to increase the coverage and capacity of its premier nationwide network and to add new services.

For Verizon Wireless Updates on Twitter
Stay in the know about Verizon Wireless news in Michigan by following @VZWMichelle on Twitter at http://twitter.com/vzwmichelle. For the latest network-related news, information and upgrades, follow @VZWNetwork on Twitter at http://twitter.com/VZWNetwork.

About Verizon Wireless in Michigan
In Michigan, Verizon Wireless has more than 2,100 employees and 65 company-owned retail locations in more than 50 cities, including Allen Park, Alpena, Alpine Township, Ann Arbor, Auburn Hills, Battle Creek, Bay City, Brighton, Burton, Canton, Clinton Township, Dearborn, Detroit, East Lansing, Escanaba, Farmington Hills, Fenton, Flint, Fort Gratiot, Gaylord, Grand Rapids, Grandville, Highland Park, Holland, Houghton, Iron Mountain, Jackson, Kentwood, Lake Orion, Lansing, Livonia, Marquette, Midland, Monroe, Muskegon, Northville, Novi, Okemos, Petoskey, Pontiac, Portage, Rochester Hills, Royal Oak, Saginaw, St. Clair Shores, St. Joseph, Southfield, Taylor, Traverse City, Troy, Utica, Warren and Westland.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 104 million total wireless connections, including more than 88 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit 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.

####