Verizon Wireless Invests $159 Million In Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Verizon Wireless announced today it invested $159 million in 2011 to enhance its network in Indiana, which includes the expansion of 4G LTE to 23 Hoosier cities, 10 major universities and four professional sporting venues.

The company’s continuing investment to support Indiana’s infrastructure required for economic development and robust business growth included:

• Adding new cell sites and upgrading equipment on existing cell sites to increase coverage and capacity of the company’s voice and data network;
• Installing permanent backup generators at cell sites to ensure the network remains reliable during times of crisis;
• And prepping the backbone of the network to deploy 4G LTE at urban and rural locations across the state;

“The reliability of Verizon’s network is a vital key for not only businesses, research parks, start-ups and entrepreneurs, but also for consumers,” said John Granby, president–Indiana/Kentucky/Michigan Region, Verizon Wireless. “As Verizon continues to cover America with the blazing fast speeds 4G LTE offers, customers will depend on our network even more, thereby changing the face of how we do business and how we rely on wireless devices.”

Granby said the strategic investment will help major urban centers as well as innovative rural broadband communities across Indiana to be front and center as they bid on new businesses and host events such as Super Bowl XLVI and collegiate basketball playoffs.

In Indiana, the network investment also covers upgrades that will maximize the upcoming Super Bowl experience for an anticipated 150,000 visitors expected to converge on the state capital for the big game February 5. This will be the first year that 4G LTE technology is available for smartphone and tablet users at the site of the Super Bowl, offering the fastest data speeds available for NFL fans visiting Indianapolis.

Verizon Wireless – the official wireless service provider of the NFL – has built network enhancements in more than 30 venues, including major hotels and all of the facilities where the game and related events will take place. The company also constructed new Wi-Fi systems at the stadium and convention center, which builds additional redundancy and reliability into the network.

Since the company was formed in 2000, Verizon Wireless has invested more than $1.3 billion on improvements to its network in Indiana.

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About Verizon Wireless in Indiana
In Indiana, Verizon Wireless has more than 700 employees and 36 company-owned retail locations in 25 cities, including Anderson, Avon, Bloomington, Carmel, Clarksville, Columbus, Elkhart, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Greenwood, Indianapolis, Kokomo, Lafayette, Lawrence, Mishawaka, Merrillville, Muncie, Noblesville, Plainfield, Portage, Schererville, South Bend, Terre Haute, Valparaiso and Warsaw.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 108.7 million total wireless connections, including 92.2 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with nearly 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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