Verizon Wireless Launches High-Speed Wireless Network Throughout Central Missouri

Business Professionals and Consumers Can Now Get High-Speed Wireless

Internet and E-mail Services, and Can Download Video Clips and Music to

Handsets

    OVERLAND PARK, Kan., April 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Central Missouri residents
 in the cities of Boonville, Fayette, Higginsville, Marshall, Richmond,
 Sedalia and Warrensburg can now have access to the Internet and to their
 e-mail and other data at faster speeds and can access music, 3D games and
 video on their phones as Verizon Wireless rolls out its high-speed wireless
 broadband network. With the availability of the new wireless broadband
 network, Verizon Wireless customers can enjoy two of the company's flagship
 services: BroadbandAccess, the company's enhanced high-speed wireless
 service geared toward mobile professionals and business customers; and V
 CAST, a consumer- oriented multimedia service that offers music and
 cutting-edge 3D games, and news, entertainment, music, weather and sports
 videos.
     BroadbandAccess
     The network expansion into central Missouri enables Verizon Wireless'
 business customers to experience a truly mobile office experience with
 BroadbandAccess, giving them access to their calendars, the Internet,
 e-mail and critical business information residing behind their companies'
 firewalls.
     "Our BroadbandAccess service gives our customers three key advantages
 in wireless communication: speed, mobility and security," said Mark
 Crumpton, president, Kansas/Missouri region, Verizon Wireless. "With these
 advantages comes an increase in productivity and bottom-line business
 benefits."
     BroadbandAccess offers true mobility with the connection speeds of a
 high- speed wired connection. 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 can access information when they are on the
 road - at customer locations, hotels or in taxis - with BroadbandAccess.
     Customers in wireless broadband 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(R)
 presentation or a large PDF file - in about eight seconds and upload the
 same-sized file in less than 13 seconds. In addition, customers who travel
 outside the BroadbandAccess coverage area will switch seamlessly to the
 fastest Verizon Wireless network available, whether it is the wireless
 broadband network or the network that operates the company's NationalAccess
 service.
     V CAST
     The company's high-speed wireless broadband network also enables its V
 CAST multimedia services, offering customers the ability to download
 full-song music tracks through V CAST Music, play cutting-edge 3D games and
 stream video clips via V CAST Video straight to handsets. With content
 updated daily, customers can watch dozens of on-demand videos, including
 breaking news, weather, sports highlights and the hottest entertainment
 clips with V CAST Video.
     V CAST Music includes access to a catalog of more than 1.5 million
 songs and is the world's most comprehensive over-the-air mobile music
 service. V CAST Music customers can download song tracks directly to their
 Verizon Wireless handsets or to Windows(R) XP PCs. Customers with V CAST
 Music- enabled handsets and calling plans can pay as they go to download
 songs directly to their phones for $1.99 per song plus airtime, download
 songs to their PCs for 99 cents, and transfer their existing compatible
 digital music collections to their V CAST Music-enabled handsets or memory
 cards at no charge from their PCs. Purchases from the handset include two
 copies of every song, one for the handset and one for the PC.
     Network and Coverage Area
     Verizon Wireless' broadband network is based on CDMA 1x Evolution-Data
 Optimized (EV-DO) Revision A (Rev. A) technology and provides Verizon
 Wireless customers in central Missouri with speeds significantly faster
 than the company's NationalAccess service, which was introduced there in
 November 2006.
     Verizon Wireless' BroadbandAccess and V CAST coverage area includes the
 counties of Lafayette, Saline, Howard, Johnson, Pettis and Cooper counties,
 as well as enhanced coverage in Ray County. Specifically, coverage was
 extended into the cities of Boonville, Fayette, Higginsville, Marshall,
 Richmond, Sedalia and Warrensburg.
     "These communities in central Missouri are important to us, and we are
 committed to providing residents from these areas with the best customer
 experience available," Crumpton said. "The launch of our wireless broadband
 network here does just that, by providing 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 $35 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.
 Last November, the company invested more than $29 million in network and
 infrastructure to launch service throughout central Missouri, including
 Columbia and Jefferson City.
     Verizon Wireless was the first national wireless provider to
 commercially launch a high-speed wireless broadband network in the United
 States. These communities in central Missouri are the latest to be added to
 Verizon Wireless' wireless broadband network coverage area. In Missouri,
 Verizon Wireless' broadband network is also available in the Kansas City,
 St. Louis and Columbia areas.
     Devices and Pricing
     Devices that take advantage of Verizon Wireless' wireless broadband
 network include the new V740 ExpressCard, the compact USB720 wireless
 modem, the AirCard 595 and PC5750 PC Card, all of which are fully
 compatible with both the company's wireless broadband network and its
 NationalAccess network (based on CDMA 1xRTT technology). BroadbandAccess
 also is available as an integrated option on select notebook and laptop
 computers.
     In addition, several handsets have the ability to "tether" to a
 laptop's USB port with the purchase of a Mobile Office Kit.
 BroadbandAccess-powered PDAs offered by Verizon Wireless include the
 Motorola Q(TM), the Palm(R) Treo(TM) 700w, the Palm Treo 700wx and the Palm
 Treo 700p. Popular BlackBerry(R) options include the new 8703e, the 7250
 and 7130e.
     BroadbandAccess is available for $79.99 monthly access with a new one-
 or two-year customer agreement. Verizon Wireless customers with existing
 voice plans can receive unlimited BroadbandAccess for $59.99 monthly access
 with a new two-year customer agreement.
     Customers need V CAST-enabled phones to access V CAST Video and Music.
 Currently, Verizon Wireless offers nearly 20 V CAST-capable handsets,
 including the popular Chocolate by LG, the Motorola RAZR V3m and MOTOKRZR
 K1m.
     V CAST Video is available for just $3.00 for a 24-hour use
 subscription. Customers can also sign up for the $15.00 V CAST VPak monthly
 subscription. Customers get unlimited basic video, but application download
 fees apply for 3D games and premium video. There are no airtime charges to
 download, stream or watch V CAST Video content.
     For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services call
 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to http://www.verizonwireless.com.
     About Verizon Wireless
     Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and
 data network, serving more than 59 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 65,000
 employees nationwide. The company is a joint venture of Verizon
 Communications ( VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more
 information on the Web at http://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 http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
 
 

SOURCE Verizon Wireless