Southern Illinois Network Enhancements Give Wireless Customers In Carbondale Something To Talk About

CARBONDALE, IL — In its continuing effort to provide the best wireless service in the Carbondale, Illinois area, Verizon Wireless has activated two new cell sites; one at the Southern Illinois University softball stadium and the other, along Giant City Road.

The enhancements improve network coverage in the following areas:

• In and around the SIU Carbondale campus, including the student housing corridor, athletic and health facilities and adjacent sites.
• In and around the southeast quarter of Carbondale and Jackson County, including greater coverage for the Giant City State Park recreational area and the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge.

In addition to expanding coverage, these two new cell sites increase capacity enabling more customers to use their wireless phones concurrently to make calls, send and receive TXT Messages, Picture Messages, and Video Messages, and download games and ring tones while enjoying clearer reception and fewer dropped calls. "Our customers know they can count on our network reliability," said Mark Crumpton, president—Kansas/Missouri and Southern Illinois Region, Verizon Wireless. "This investment further shows our commitment to customer service and improving our premier wireless voice and data network."

Reliable service is fundamental to customer loyalty, and Verizon Wireless boasts the highest customer loyalty in the industry. During the third quarter of 2006, only 1.24 percent of its customers disconnected their service, which is well below the industry average.

The new cell sites in the Carbondale area are part of Verizon Wireless' continual effort to expand coverage, increase capacity and enhance the quality of its wireless voice and data network in Illinois and throughout the country. Verizon Wireless has invested $35 billion in the last seven years-$5 billion on average every year since the company was formed-to increase the coverage and capacity of its national network and to add new services.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 57 million customers. The largest U.S. wireless company and largest wireless data provider, based on revenues, Verizon Wireless is headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 60,000 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.

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