Verizon Wireless Expands High-Speed Wireless Network In Richmond, Newport News And Norfolk, Virginia

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LAUREL, MD — Verizon Wireless announced today it has expanded its high-speed wireless broadband coverage in Richmond, Newport News and Norfolk, Virginia, giving more local residents access to advanced wireless data and entertainment services.

Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) technology, the technology that enables the company's BroadbandAccess and V CAST services, has been added to 24 cell sites in and around Richmond, thereby expanding high-speed wireless broadband coverage along I-64 to the southeast towards Newport News; along I-64 to the west towards Charlottesville; and along I-95 to the north to the Ashland area. In the Newport News/Norfolk area, EV-DO technology has been added to 28 cell sites, expanding wireless broadband coverage along Routes 460 and 58 West to Franklin, and along Route 168 towards North Carolina.

Verizon Wireless was the first national wireless provider to commercially launch a high-speed wireless broadband network, called BroadbandAccess, in the United States. BroadbandAccess was first launched in Richmond in June 2005, and in the Hampton Roads area in December 2005.

BroadbandAccess delivers average download speeds of 400 to 700 kilobits per second. The service features the ability to connect to the Internet using a PC Card that slides directly into most laptop computers and enables a download of a 1 Megabyte e-mail attachment (the equivalent of a small PowerPoint® presentation or a large PDF file) in about 20 seconds.

"This expansion is part of our continuing focus on investing in our network reliability and providing innovative high-speed data services to our customers nationwide and here in Virginia," said Tami Erwin, Washington-Baltimore-Virginia region president for Verizon Wireless. "With BroadbandAccess, mobile professionals and students can now take their desktop experience wherever they go in the coverage area, allowing them to wirelessly access their Outlook® calendars, the Internet, e-mail and other critical information."

As an example of the productivity benefits the company's wireless broadband provides to mobile and business professionals, construction supervisors can capture important details about building projects and wirelessly transmit the information to the contractor; food and beverage company representatives can re-order stock wirelessly while at the point of sale; and physicians can write prescriptions, enter orders and manage other tasks via PDAs or laptops.

The company's high-speed network also enables its V CAST multimedia service, which offers consumers the ability to download full-song tracks right to Verizon Wireless phones. The V CAST Music on demand service includes access to a catalog of more than 1.5 million songs and offers video content on demand, including current news, weather, sports and entertainment programming. V CAST also allows customers to download and play cutting-edge 3D games for an additional charge. To access V CAST video content and games, customers need a V CAST-enabled phone and either a $15.00 monthly subscription, or a $3.00 daily subscription, added to their Verizon Wireless calling plan.

For a limited time, Verizon Wireless customers with a new or existing voice plan can receive unlimited BroadbandAccess service for Internet browsing, e-mail and intranet access for $59.99 monthly access. A new two-year customer agreement is required. For non-voice customers, BroadbandAccess is available for $79.99 monthly access with a new one- or two-year customer agreement. The company's BroadbandAccess service is also available as an integrated option on select notebook computers: Dell (Latitude 620 and 820), Lenovo (ThinkPad Z60, T60 and X60) and HP (Compaq nc6140).

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. In the first nine months of this year, the company already has invested nearly $5 billion.

Customers can learn more about BroadbandAccess by visiting www.verizonwireless.com or by visiting a Verizon Wireless retail location or authorized agent.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 57 million customers. The largest US 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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