Arizonans Talking More. Verizon Wireless Customers' Wireless Phone Usage Up Nearly 25 Percent In 2006
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CHANDLER, AZ — Verizon Wireless invested more than $120 million to enhance its Arizona voice and data wireless network in 2006. That's an average of more than $325,000 per day spent to provide customers in the state with the reliable, high quality service they expect from Verizon Wireless.
The company's network investment in Arizona now totals nearly a half a billion dollars over the past six years.
The investment includes adding and updating cell sites to improve call quality and enable customers to make calls. The multi-million dollar investment also includes the launch of the company's Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) broadband wireless data network in greater Tucson, Casa Grande, Flagstaff, Prescott, Payson, Sierra Vista and Yuma.
More specifically the network investments made last year in Arizona are delivering:
Expanded coverage and call capacity
- Key new cell sites throughout the state, including those that improved coverage in the communities of Troon in north Scottsdale; Queen Creek; Apache Junction; the Yuma Proving Grounds; Fort Huachuca US Army Base; and in Green Valley.
- Network enhancements to out-pace growth in the number voice and data calls happening at the same time. Growth in usage in the past four years in Arizona increased 275 percent.
Most reliable network in the nation
- Deployment of a Cell on Light Truck (COLT) mobile cell site to provide additional wireless communications capacity at the Arizona State Capitol in April 2006.
- A new, 22,000 square foot state-of-the-art switching center that processes voice and data communication for customers who live in and travel through the west valley and central Phoenix.
- Additional equipment to provide backup power in the event of a commercial power failure.
New wireless technologies
- Customers from Flagstaff to Nogales can now access high-speed wireless Internet, e-mail, mobile music and more. The high speed data network that enables both BroadbandAccess and V CAST services launched in southern and northern Arizona and in the Rim Country in the last half of the year.
- Customers also have access to innovative new services based on Global Positioning System (GPS) data. ChaperoneSM gives parents new tools to help identify the whereabouts of phones they've given to their young children. VZ NavigatorSM provides wireless turn-by-turn driving directions, maps and addresses. And Field Force Manager allows businesses to map the location of field employees and jobs in near real-time.
The company 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. Network investment for 2007 is already underway.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving more than 59 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 65,000 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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