Verizon Wireless Invests $17.3 Million In North Dakota

FARGO, ND — Verizon Wireless announced today it invested more than $17 million in 2010 to enhance its network in North Dakota. The investment included 17 new cell sites, upgrading equipment on more than 130 existing cell sites to increase coverage and capacity of the company’s voice and 3G high-speed wireless network and prepping the backbone of the network for deploying 4G LTE in the future.

“Our company is focused on building a reliable 4G network both here in North Dakota and nationwide, but we also remain committed to improving our 3G network which millions of customers rely on daily,” said Seamus Hyland, president-Great Plains Region, Verizon Wireless. “Customers may use their wireless devices in different ways, but they all have one need in common–a reliable network.”

From 2000 to 2010, Verizon Wireless has invested more than $183 million on improvements to its network in North Dakota, including the following upgrades made in 2010:

• Seventeen new cell sites were activated enabling more customers to use their phones for social networking, Internet browsing, downloading apps and music, exchanging e-mail and text, picture and video messages, watching high-quality videos and making calls.
• Equipment was installed at more than 130 cell sites across North Dakota to boost capacity of the company’s advanced 3G high-speed wireless network and improve speed and performance.
• New equipment was installed across the network in preparation of deploying 4G LTE, which will increase bandwidth to handle more data traffic. In December 2010, Verizon Wireless launched its 4G LTE network in 38 major metropolitan markets and 60 commercial airports across the country. The company’s 4G LTE network will cover two-thirds of the U.S. population by mid-2012, and by the end of 2013 the company will offer its 4G LTE network from coast to coast – everywhere it offers 3G today.

For Verizon Wireless Updates on Twitter
Stay in the know about Verizon Wireless news in North Dakota by following @KarenVZW on Twitter at http://twitter.com/karenvzw. For the latest network-related news, information and upgrades, follow @VZWNetwork on Twitter at http://twitter.com/VZWNetwork.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s fastest and most advanced 4G network and largest and most reliable 3G network, and serves more than 94 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 82,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: 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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