The Best Wireless Network Just Got Better In Hawkins County, Tennessee, And The Greater Rogersville Area

ROGERSVILLE, TN — Residents and visitors to historic Rogersville, Tennessee’s second oldest city, will enjoy enriched wireless services thanks to the Verizon Wireless and Alltel network conversion, which was recently completed in Hawkins County, Tennessee.

Since the company’s purchase of Alltel in January, Verizon Wireless has worked diligently to integrate the two wireless voice, data and broadband networks. Rogersville customers will benefit from the combined network in many ways. The expansion in network coverage and capacity means more calls, e-mails, texts and picture messages, plus expanded wireless access to the Web. It will also result in greatly expanded in-building coverage throughout the area.

The integration will enhance and expand coverage in the following Hawkins County towns:

• Town of Rogersville, US 11W, Highway 66 and Highway 70
• Town of Rogersville, community of Marble Hall and Highway 344
• Town of Mooresburg, Bean Station and Highway 31
• Town of Church Hill, Kingsport and Highway 236
• Town of Surgoinsville, community of Zion Hill and Highway 346

“Verizon Wireless is not only the nation’s leading wireless provider, we are the largest wireless voice and data provider in the state of Tennessee,” said Jerry Fountain, president of Verizon Wireless’ Carolinas/Tennessee Region. “By incorporating the extensive Alltel network into our already superior network, our footprint will be unmatched in the Tennessee area and we will be able to continue providing outstanding service to Rogersville and Hawkins County customers.”

In the first half of 2009, Verizon Wireless invested $99.7 million in the Tennessee network. Last year, Verizon Wireless spent $150 million on improvements to the state’s network, bringing the company’s cumulative investment in the state to $800 million since 2003. Verizon Wireless data and voice services are available to Tennesseans in all 95 counties.

Verizon Wireless tests its network and those of its competitors. The company determines if voice calls and data connections are successful on the first attempt and stay connected. Nationally, Verizon Wireless' real-life test men and women drive 90 specially equipped vehicles almost 1,000,000 miles annually. They drive on Interstate, U.S. and state highways, as well as major roads and streets in high-population areas, based upon U.S. Census counts. Vehicles are equipped with computers that automatically make more than three million voice call attempts and more than 16 million data tests annually on Verizon Wireless' network and the networks of other carriers.

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

MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA: Interested in experiencing how the Verizon Wireless network compares to the competition in your town? Conduct a ‘Test Man Ride Along,’ the chance to accompany a Verizon Wireless engineer in a custom vehicle equipped to test mobile wireless voice and data devices and services for several wireless providers. Call Karen Schulz at (864) 987-2006 to learn more or schedule an appointment.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and data network, serving 87.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 87,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit 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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