Verizon Wireless Launches High-Speed Wireless Network In Vincennes And Washington, Indiana

VINCENNES, IN — Verizon Wireless announced today it has expanded the national rollout of its high-speed wireless network in Vincennes and Washington, Indiana, including the campus of Vincennes University.

The enhancements of Verizon Wireless' CDMA 1x Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) network to Revision A (Rev.) A technology means Verizon Wireless customers in the area can access the company's high-speed wireless network and enjoy two prime services: BroadbandAccess, the company's enhanced high-speed wireless service, with average download speeds of 600 kilobits per second (kbps) to 1.4 megabits, geared toward mobile professionals, business customers and on-the-go college students; and V CAST, a consumer-oriented multimedia service that offers music and short content on demand, including cutting-edge 3D games, music videos, news, weather and sports.

The network expansion equips Verizon Wireless' business customers to experience a truly untethered mobile office experience, enabling them to wirelessly access their calendars, the Internet, e-mail and critical business information residing behind their companies' firewalls.  Students can research term papers, surf the Internet, and e-mail friends from Shake Learning Resource Center & Lewis Historical Library or while hanging out at the Isaac K. Beckes Student Union.

With the added benefit of V CAST, consumers also now have access to the most comprehensive selection of downloadable music, high-quality videos and the coolest 3D games found anywhere.

BroadbandAccess
BroadbandAccess provides mobile workers the ability to get their corporate information as if they were attached to the information via a high-speed wired connection but with the freedom of true mobility.  Developed with a range of users in mind, the service enables large enterprises, small to medium-sized businesses and mobile professionals to conduct business anytime, anywhere in the BroadbandAccess coverage area via a secure, true high-speed data connection.

Business customers, university faculty and staff, and students, alike, can access information when they are on the road — at customer locations, coffee houses or on a road trip — with BroadbandAccess.  Customers in enhanced broadband wireless coverage areas can expect average download speeds of 600 kilobits per second (kbps) to 1.4 megabits and average upload speeds of 500-800 kbps, which means customers can download a 1 Megabyte e-mail attachment — the equivalent of a small PowerPoint^® presentation or a large PDF file — in less than 15 seconds and upload the same-sized file in less than 25 seconds.  The enhanced coverage areas enable Verizon Wireless customers to download files approximately six times faster than customers of wireless service providers who use non-EV-DO technology.  Also, customers who travel outside the enhanced BroadbandAccess coverage area with an EV-DO device will switch seamlessly to the company's NationalAccess service.

"Our enhanced BroadbandAccess service gives our customers three key advantages in wireless communication — speed, mobility and security," said Greg Haller, president — Indiana/Kentucky/Michigan region, Verizon Wireless.  "With these advantages comes an increase in productivity and bottom-line business benefits."

V CAST
The company's high-speed network also enables its V CAST multimedia services, offering customers the ability to download full song tracks, play cutting-edge 3D games and stream video clips straight to the handset with top transmission speeds.  With content updated daily, customers can watch dozens of on-demand videos, including breaking news, weather, sports highlights and the hottest entertainment clips.

V CAST Music, available to customers with V CAST Music-enabled handsets, is the world's most comprehensive, over-the-air mobile music service.  Customers with V CAST Music can download song tracks directly to their Verizon Wireless handsets or to PCs equipped with Windows^® XP operating software.  The V CAST Music on demand service includes access to a catalog of more than 2 million songs.

Coverage
Verizon Wireless' expansion of BroadbandAccess and V CAST coverage spans 1,294 square miles and includes Vincennes, Washington, Jasper, Oakland City and Petersburg.  It also includes the following major roads:

• US Route 41 between Princeton and Vincennes
• US Route 231 between Interstate 64 and Loogootee
• US Route 50 between Vincennes and Loogootee
• State Road 57 between Interstate 64 and Washington

"Southern Indiana is a vital market with dynamic, tech-savvy businesses, university faculty and staff, and students," Haller said.  "The launch of our broadband network here provides our customers with access to the very latest wireless technology."

The multi-million dollar expansion entailed installing high-tech wireless hardware and software in wireless transmission sites throughout the region.  It is part of an ongoing network investment by Verizon Wireless that has totaled $37 billion nationally 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.  More than $732 million of this investment was spent in Indiana.

Verizon Wireless was the first national wireless provider to commercially launch a high-speed wireless broadband network in the United States.  Vincennes and Washington are the latest markets to be added to Verizon Wireless' EV-DO network coverage area, now available to more than 200 million people.  In Indiana, Verizon Wireless' broadband network is also available in Anderson, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Lafayette, Muncie and South Bend.

BroadbandAccess is available for $79.99 monthly access with a new 1- or 2-year customer agreement.  For a limited time, Verizon Wireless customers with an existing voice plan can receive unlimited BroadbandAccess service for $59.99 monthly access.  A new 2-year customer agreement is required.  BroadbandAccess service also is available as an integrated option on select notebook and laptop computers.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit The Gooch at 1501 Willow Street in Vincennes or Premier Cellular at 4 East National Highway in Washington, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.  

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 60.7 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 66,000 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.

####