Verizon Wireless Network Ready To Take The Heat In Fairfield County, Connecticut

EAST HARTFORD, CT — With hotter-than-normal temperatures, Fairfield County's power grid is being put to the test again this summer. Verizon Wireless, owner and operator of the nation's most reliable wireless network, is prepared to keep its wireless network up and running in lower Fairfield county during power outages that may result from increased demand for electricity due to high temperatures and extreme weather conditions.

The Verizon Wireless network is built for reliability in emergencies — like power blackouts and storms — with redundancies in place to maintain services for customers when they need it most.

• All facilities have battery back-up and, for additional reliability, generators are also installed at all switching facilities and many cell site locations.
• The company maintains fleets of portable generators that can be deployed to provide emergency power during extended power outages to cell sites without permanent generators.
• Verizon Wireless also operates "Cells on Wheels" (COWs), fully functional, generator-powered mobile cell sites that can enhance coverage and capacity whenever and wherever necessary.

"Our year-round focus on network reliability helps us meet our customer needs - both during the lazy days of summer and in the event of a blackout when they rely on their wireless service most," said Verizon Wireless Regional President Bob Stott. "We continue to invest in network improvements locally and across the country to ensure we are ready to operate during emergencies," Stott added.

The company has recently been recognized for sharing "Highest Call Quality Performance Among Wireless Cell Phone Users in the Northeast Region," which includes all six New England States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont, in the J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Wireless Call Quality Performance Study^SM.

Verizon Wireless' investment in its wireless network in New England totaled $330 million in 2004 alone and is part of the company's commitment to offer customers the nation's most reliable wireless voice network. Nationally, the company invests more than $1 billion every 90 days in its network to further expand and enhance wireless voice and data service.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 47.4 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless 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.  

####