Verizon Wireless Announces $200+ Million Network Investment Across The State Of Tennessee

MEMPHIS, TN — Verizon Wireless announced today that over $200 million was invested in 2006 to enhance and improve the company's voice and data wireless network across Tennessee, which increasesincreasing the company's total investment over the past six yearsfour-year investment to over $430 million.

According to Terry Dison, Director of System Performance for Verizon Wireless in Tennessee, a large portion of the investment went toward bringing the company's Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) third generation (3G) wide-area network technology (featuring high-speed wireless internet, e-mail and downloadable video clips and music) to new markets across the state.

Nashville, Tri-Cities, Chattanooga, Dyersburg, Union City, Tazewell and New Tazewell were among the new markets to experience EV-DO service for the first time this year while Memphis and Knoxville 3G service was expanded. Verizon Wireless' national EV-DO network now includes 181 major metropolitan areas and is currently available to approximately 200 million Americans coast to coast.

In addition to expanding EV-DO services statewide, Verizon Wireless also opened several new retail stores during 2006 in the towns of Athens, Chattanooga, Collierville, Dickson, Gallatin, Johnson City and Mt. Juliet. These new retail locations extend the company's customer service options and create employment opportunities for many Tennessee residents.

"Verizon Wireless has aggressively stepped up our network and service offerings in Tennessee to ensure that we deliver the most reliable wireless network availableto our customers," said Jerry Fountain, Verizon Wireless Carolinas/Tennessee region president. "Our financial commitment to our Tennessee network increased 33% in 2006, and we will continue to invest our resources in wireless technology infrastructure to deliver cutting-edge wireless services to consumers."

Verizon Wireless is committed to offering customers the most reliable service on the nation's best wireless voice and data network.* To support that claim, the company's engineers conduct more than 750,000 voice call attempts and more than four million data tests quarterly on Verizon Wireless' and other national wireless carriers' networks. The company's engineers travel approximately 220,000 miles of the most frequently traveled roadways nationwide in specially equipped, company-owned quality test vehicles.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services in Tennessee, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or visit www.verizonwireless.com.  

* Network details at www.verizonwireless.com/bestnetwork.  

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.

EDITORS NOTE: Test Man Ride-Along Program for the News Media
Specially-equipped Verizon Wireless test vehicles simultaneously test the Verizon Wireless network as well as the networks of as many as seven other wireless providers, using a mobile laptop computer to generate phonically diverse "conversations." If one of your reporters is interested in setting up an interview or ride-along test drive with your locally-based Verizon Wireless test man or woman, please contact Tara Healy at 864-233-3776, ext. 14.

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