Verizon Wireless Expands Wireless Broadband Network To Its Kalamazoo, Michigan, Coverage Area

KALAMAZOO, MI — Verizon Wireless announced today that it has expanded the national rollout of its high-speed wireless network to its Kalamazoo coverage area.

With this expansion, the following cities — in addition to Kalamazoo — are now equipped with the company's high-speed wireless network: Constantine, Oshtemo, Otsego, Martin, Portage, Richland, Schoolcraft, Shelbyville, Texas Corners, Three Rivers, and Wayland. The expansion also provides continuous coverage along Interstate 94 from Kalamazoo to Detroit and along U.S. Route 131 from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids.

"This is a vital market with dynamic, tech-savvy business people and consumers who want to stay connected," said Greg Haller, president — Michigan/Indiana/Kentucky Region, Verizon Wireless. "The expansion of our broadband network in the greater Kalamazoo area provides our customers with access to the very latest wireless technology."

Verizon Wireless customers in this area can enjoy two prime services:

• BroadbandAccess, the enhanced high-speed wireless service that equips Verizon Wireless' business customers with 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; and
• V CAST, a consumer-oriented multimedia service that gives customers access to the most comprehensive selection of downloadable music, high-quality videos and the coolest 3D games found anywhere.

BroadbandAccess
Based on Evolution-Data Optimized Revision A (EV-DO Rev. A) network technology, BroadbandAccess provides mobile workers with the ability to access their corporate information as if they were attached to this data 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.

With BroadbandAccess, business customers, residents and visitors can expect average download speeds of 600 kilobits per second (kbps) to 1.4 megabits per second and average upload speeds of 500 kbps to 800 kbps. That means they can download a 1 Megabyte e-mail attachment — the equivalent of a small PowerPoint^® presentation or a large PDF file-in about eight seconds and upload the same-sized file in less than 13 seconds.

BroadbandAccess also enables Verizon Wireless customers to download files approximately 10 times faster than customers of wireless service providers that use different broadly deployed network technologies. Furthermore, 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," Haller said. "With these advantages comes an increase in productivity and bottom-line business benefits."

V CAST: Video and Music
The company's wireless broadband network also enables its V CAST multimedia services, which offer 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 updates, sports highlights, and the hottest entertainment clips.

With V CAST Music, Verizon Wireless has built a massive full-song mobile music store that contains more than 2.4 million songs — from well-known as well as independent artists — that customers can download over-the-air, directly onto their V CAST Music-enabled wireless phones.

Investment
The multi-million dollar expansion includes the installation of high-tech wireless hardware and software in wireless transmission sites throughout the area. Verizon Wireless has invested more than $40 billion since it was formed — more than $5 billion on average every year — to increase the coverage and capacity of its national network and to add new services. More than $1 billion of this investment was spent in Michigan.

Verizon Wireless was the first national wireless provider to commercially launch a high-speed wireless broadband network in the United States. In Michigan, VerizonWireless' broadband network is also available across much of west Michigan, including Big Rapids, Battle Creek, Grand Rapids, Holland and Muskegon; southeastern Michigan; the greater Flint area; Lansing; Jackson; Mount Pleasant; Port Huron; Clare; mid-Michigan, including Saginaw, Bay City and Midland; and Traverse City. Verizon Wireless' broadband network was first introduced in Michigan in July 2005 in southeastern Michigan.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, 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 63.7 million customers. The largest U.S. wireless company and largest wireless data provider, based on revenues, Verizon Wireless is headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 68,000 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.

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