Verizon Launches 4G LTE in Atlanta and Athens Metropolitan Areas by the End of the Year

ATLANTA, Oct. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon announced today that it is bringing the world's first large-scale 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network to Atlanta and Athens.  The initial availability of a 4G LTE wireless network in Atlanta and Athens is part of the company's major network launch in 38 major metropolitan areas by the end of the year.  In addition, the company is launching 4G LTE in more than 60 commercial airports coast to coast, including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

"The inclusion of Atlanta and Athens in Verizon Wireless' initial launch made perfect sense," said Jeff Mango, president – Georgia/Alabama Region, Verizon Wireless.  "Atlanta is one of the leading technology hubs in the United States and Athens is the home of the University of Georgia, an internationally recognized educational and research institution. Our 4G network will provide our customers in these markets with higher data rates, lower latency, better coverage, improved mobility and performance, end-to-end Quality of Service, security and simplified roaming. We are extremely excited about the possibilities this technology brings to Atlanta and Athens."  

The 4G LTE network in Atlanta will cover 4.1 million people and over 2,500 square miles. All of downtown Atlanta is covered including the facilities at the Georgia Aquarium, Georgia Dome, Philip's Arena and Turner Field.  Coverage extends as far west as Lithia Springs and Austell, south of Fayetteville, east past Lithonia and north to Alpharetta. Atlanta-area universities impacted by the 4G LTE network footprint are Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Georgia State University, Clark Atlanta University, Spelman, Morehouse, Mercer and Oglethorpe. Atlanta's 10 major shopping malls are also covered including North Point, Perimeter, Lenox, Southlake, Cobb Galleria, Gwinnett Place, Towne Center, Discovery Mills, and Stonebriar.

The Athens 4G LTE coverage area includes over 180,000 residents and over 550 square miles, including downtown Athens and the University of Georgia's 33,000 students. The network covers the 78 Loop, four miles north of the Loop, west to Coggins Industrial Park, south to Watkinsville and east to Winterville.

Verizon Wireless is building its 4G LTE network with the same commitment to performance and reliability for which it has long been recognized.  Verizon Wireless' laser focus on reliability is based on rigid engineering standards and a disciplined deployment approach year after year.

Enterprise users, businesses and individuals can immediately benefit from Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network this year. While Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network promises much more than speed, the first application gives employees the ability to work at significantly faster speeds and improved latency, increasing productivity and the opportunity to get work done where their business takes them.  

Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE rollout positions the company to be the global leader in 4G LTE deployment.  Verizon Wireless expects 4G LTE average data rates to be 5-12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2-5 Mbps on the uplink in real-world, loaded network environments.  These speeds are significantly faster than Verizon Wireless and other wireless providers' current or promised 3G network speeds.  

By leveraging its 700 MHz spectrum for LTE deployment in the United States, Verizon Wireless is capable of quickly deploying a high-quality wireless broadband network with excellent coverage.  The company is currently installing LTE equipment at existing cell sites and switching centers around the United States as part of its extensive, ongoing investment in its voice and data network infrastructure.  

From the CTIA Enterprise & Applications conference in San Francisco, Lowell McAdam, president and chief operating officer of Verizon, today discussed the initial national launch and highlighted metropolitan areas that would first get the 4G LTE wireless network, including:

• Throughout Atlanta, Miami and south Florida, Dallas-Fort Worth, New Orleans, Nashville and Charlotte
• Large sections of the Northeast Corridor, including Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC, as well as Rochester, New York
• Chicagoland, St. Louis, the Twin Cities, Pittsburgh, and major cities in Ohio
• Major population centers in California, as well as Seattle, Phoenix, Denver and Las Vegas

Visit www.verizonwireless.com/lte for more information about Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network.  

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 92 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 79,000 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.

SOURCE Verizon Wireless