Verizon Wireless To Invest More Than $200 Million In Georgia Region Network

ATLANTA, GA — Verizon Wireless, the nation's largest wireless carrier today announced it will invest approximately $100 million in network expansions and upgrades in Georgia this year. This is the second phase in a network expansion that began in 2000 with a $100 million investment by the company.

During this phase, the company will expand coverage and increase capacity in its switching centers and cell sites to handle the strong demand for wireless services. Customer growth, greater usage due to high value pricing like SingleRate^SM national and regional calling plans, SharePlan^SM, Mobile to Mobile and Night and Weekend calling plans, and the popularity of services such as Mobile Web and Mobile Messaging, are driving the local demand for the company's wireless services and network capacity. In 2000, the company upgraded networks in rural areas outside of Atlanta from analog to digital.

"We've invested heavily in our network over the years to ensure our customers enjoy reliable, high quality wireless service," said Jim McGean, president of the company's Georgia Region. "At the end of the day, what matters most to customers is being able to make a wireless call when and where they want to, whether it's an emergency, a business callback or for personal convenience."

The Georgia Region's network investment is part of the company's 2001 nationwide $4 billion network enhancement initiative to offer customers the most advanced wireless voice and data service on the most extensive wireless network in the U.S. The company's CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) digital technology provides better voice quality than rival technologies and enables the company to serve more customers and handle more simultaneous calls. Verizon Wireless has the largest digital customer base in the U.S.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless communications provider in the U.S. with more than 27 million wireless voice and data customers. The coast-to-coast wireless provider was formed by the combination of the U.S. wireless businesses of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD), including Bell Atlantic Mobile, AirTouch Cellular, GTE Wireless and PrimeCo Personal Communications. Verizon Wireless has a footprint covering more than 90 percent of the U.S. population, 49 of the top 50 and 96 of the top 100 U.S. markets. The company, headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, is 40,000 employees strong. Reporters and editors can find more information about the company on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com.

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