Oregon Wireless Users Benefit From $63 Million Investment By Verizon Wireless

PORTLAND, OR — Verizon Wireless announced today it completed a more than $63 million enhancement to Oregon's voice and data wireless network in 2005. The investment includes adding and updating cell sites and other technologies to improve call quality, increase coverage areas, and enable a variety of advanced services such as V CAST, BroadbandAccess, TXT and Picture Messaging and other applications.

The network investment, which totals more than $185 million over the past four years is also key to maintaining strong coverage. "Providing customers with the nation's most reliable wireless network means making large-scale investments year after year," said Kelley Kurtzman, Verizon Wireless region president. "We've proven that these efforts pay off with strong network performance in Oregon based on testing by our real life test men and women."

Highlights of network upgrades in Oregon for 2005 include:

• The launch of service in northeastern Oregon, which expanded the company's coverage by more than 1,500 square miles.
• Metropolitan Portland and Salem network upgrades, which enabled V CAST, the nation's first 3G wireless broadband multimedia service for consumers, and BroadbandAccess, the fastest wide-area wireless Internet access service available in the nation. Both services run on the company's high-speed EV-DO (Evolution Data-Optimized) wireless broadband network, which is available from coast to coast.
• A series of new cell sites, including those that improved coverage along Highway 30 between Claskanie and Astoria, and at Portland International airport.

Editor's note: For network cell site images go to www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.  

Verizon Wireless is dedicated to delivering outstanding customer satisfaction by providing a positive wireless experience to its more than 49 million customers. The company has regularly invested more than $4 billion nationally each year since it's inception — and more than $5.5 billion last year alone.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.  

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 49.3 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.  

Test Man/Woman Ride-Along Program
The specially equipped Verizon Wireless test vehicles simultaneously test seven wireless providers, using a computerized program to generate phonically diverse "conversations" as well as data transmissions. Members of the media who are interested in setting up an interview ride-along with a local member of the Verizon Wireless team of real-life test men and women, are invited to contact Georgia Taylor at 206-940-0385 or e-mail Georgia.Taylor@VerizonWireless.com.

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