Verizon Wireless Prepares For Olympic Call Volumes And Offers High-Speed Data Service

SALT LAKE CITY, UT — Verizon Wireless, the nation's largest wireless service provider, invested more than $40 million to enhance its wireless network in Utah in 2001, increasing its capacity to handle voice and data calls by 70 percent throughout the state. The company's investment expands coverage, helps provide reliable, high quality wireless service to Verizon Wireless' growing number of customers in the state and prepares the network for anticipated increased usage during the Olympic games.

Network enhancements along the Wasatch Front included installation of Verizon Wireless' Express Network, third generation technology. Verizon Wireless' Express Network enhances all levels of communications—from a simple voice call, to full Internet browsing, streaming video, and e-mail.

Wasatch Front improvements also included converting existing analog cell sites to digital service and construction of new cell sites near Olympic venues. These sites will be supplemented by more than a dozen portable cell sites during the event, to help accommodate the anticipated record voice and data traffic as visitors call home, send text messages to friends and family at other venues, and browse Verizon Wireless' Mobile Web for restaurants and competition results.

"We expect the thousands of visitors to the Olympics to significantly increase call volumes on our network during the games. Our goal is to make sure our customers—local residents and visitors--experience the excellent access and reliability they're used to on the Verizon Wireless network," said Marni Walden, president for the company's Mountain Region. "It's important that our customers are able to make and receive wireless calls, and send and receive data when and where they want."

Verizon Wireless' 1XRTT data network in Salt Lake City, gives customers access to new, high-speed mobile data services such as audio streaming, e-mail and Internet access at speeds between 40 and 60 kilobits per second (kbps) and peak data speeds up to 144 kbps. Consumers who sign up for Express Network may take advantage of these high wireless data speeds and robust Internet access by using the new Verizon Wireless 2235 handset from Kyocera, with a compatible Mobile Office kit as a modem for their laptops, or with the AirCard 555 from Sierra Wireless, for their laptops and select PDAs.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless is the leading wireless communications provider in the U.S., with the largest wireless network and more than 29.4 million customers. The coast-to-coast wireless provider was formed by the combination of the U.S. wireless businesses of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Verizon Wireless has a footprint covering more than 90 percent of the U.S. population, 49 of the top 50 and 97 of the top 100 U.S. markets. The company, headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, is 40,000 employees strong. Reporters and editors can find more information about the company on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com.

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