Investing to Stay Ahead of Growing Demand for Wireless Voice, Multimedia and Internet Access

SUFFIELD, Conn., Nov. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- In a continuing effort to provide the best wireless service for local residents in Hartford County, Verizon Wireless has activated a new cell site. The new site increases wireless data coverage and capacity for the town of Suffield, Connecticut, as well as the surrounding area.

Verizon Wireless has invested more than $48 billion since it was formed to increase the coverage and capacity of its national network and to add new services like BroadbandAccess and V CAST. Regionally, the company has invested over $2.2 billion into its New England network, including over $100 million during the first six months of 2008. As the wireless carrier with America's largest 3G network, every Verizon Wireless cell site in New England provides wireless broadband connectivity.

"We've always believed that even the most advanced cell phone is only as good as the network it runs on," said director for Network Systems Performance for Verizon Wireless, Richard Enright. "We continue to aggressively invest into our wireless networks across New England to increase coverage and capacity for our customers."

BroadbandAccess offers computer users the nation's most reliable high-speed wireless mobile broadband network, operating at average upload speeds between 500 and 800 kbps, and download speeds between 600 kbps and 1.4 mbps over Verizon Wireless' BroadbandAccess with EV-DO Revision A network. V CAST brings video clips of TV shows, music on demand and other multimedia services to wireless phones.

The company's 'nation's most reliable wireless network' reputation is based on network studies performed by real-life test men and test women throughout the country who inspired the "can you hear me now" national advertising campaign. Nationally, these test men and women drive more than 90 specially equipped vehicles almost 1,000,000 miles annually on Interstate, U.S. and state highways as well as major roads and surface streets in high-population areas, based upon U.S. Census counts, to confirm that voice calls and data connections are successful on the first attempt and stay connected. Vehicles are equipped with computers that automatically make more than three million voice call attempts and more than 16 million data tests annually on Verizon Wireless' network and the networks of other carriers.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 70.8 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 71,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone . 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 .