Verizon Wireless Launches its 4G LTE Network in Bakersfield, California, Tomorrow

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., Aug. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting tomorrow, Verizon Wireless customers in Bakersfield will be able to surf the Web, download files and share music and photos up to 10 times faster than before with Verizon Wireless' 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network.  The network launches on Aug. 18 and will be available to customers in the following cities and towns:

• Bakersfield (core)
• Delano
• Shafter and Greenfield areas including Highway 99 from Bakersfield to Delano

"The launch of our 4G LTE network in Bakersfield will allow residents, small businesses and local government connect faster and more fully with each other and those outside our community," said Kevin Zavaglia, region president for Verizon Wireless.  "Our 4G LTE network is revolutionizing the way people communicate, and we know this connectivity will be a key communications and technology enabler for many years to come."

4G LTE Devices

Residents of Bakersfield can choose from an array of devices to access the blazingly fast speeds of the 4G LTE network, including:

• The Revolution™ by LG is the first Android™ smartphone that gives Netflix subscribers access to movies and television shows through a pre-loaded Netflix app.  Customers can capture and share HD images or videos on a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen and take advantage of other features including a rear-facing 5.0-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat, 720p HD video recording and playback, built-in HDMI output and SmartShare capability for sharing multimedia content with HDMI capable displays and Mobile Hotspot capability that allows customers to share 4G LTE with up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices or a 3G connection with up to five devices. Available for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.
• The DROID Charge by Samsung features a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED™ Plus display; a rear-facing 8.0-megapixel camera with LED flash and front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera for both stills and video chatting; Android™ 2.2 platform; 1 GHz application processor; HTML 5 Web browser; and Mobile Hotspot capability that lets customers share the 4G LTE connection with up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices or the 3G connection with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices.  Available for $299.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.
• The ThunderBolt™ by HTC smartphone is powered by Android 2.2 and has an 8.0-megapixel rear-facing camera and HD (720p) video recording; 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera with video chatting capabilities; newest generation of the 1 GHz Snapdragon processor; and Mobile Hotspot capability that lets customers share the 4G LTE connection with up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices.  Available for $249.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.
• The Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 with 4G LTE offers full support for Google™ Mobile Services, including Gmail™, YouTube™ and more; a 10.1-inch enhanced display with a 1280 x 800 resolution HD screen; 1 GHz dual core application processor; a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera; and Adobe® Flash® Player to deliver an enhanced Internet browsing experience and access to content-rich websites. Both consumers and business customers will find a multitude of uses for the Galaxy Tab that range from video chat to business tools, including those that allow for the opening and editing of documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Available for $529.99 for the 16 GB model and $629.99 for the 32 GB model with a new two-year customer agreement.
• The Compaq™ Mini CQ10-688nr with built-in 4G LTE is the ideal balance of performance and size.  Customers and small businesses can stream videos; video chat; download music, photos, videos and attachments; send email; and utilize word processing and Web browsing on the go with this slim and stylish netbook.  The ultraportable Compaq Mini CQ10-688nr also features Windows® 7 Home Starter 32-bit; 10.1 inch WSVGA anti-glare LED display; and multi-format digital media card reader for SD cards, multimedia cards, memory stick and memory stick pro. Available for $449.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.
• The HP® Pavilion dm1-3010nr Entertainment PC with 4G LTE allows customers to stream high-definition content; play games; video chat; and download music, photos and videos within seconds rather than minutes.  Measuring less than 1.2-inches thin, the HP Pavilion dm1-3010nr offers the performance of a notebook with the mobility of a netbook.  The device features Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit, an 11.6-inch high-definition HP BrightView LED Display (1366 x 768) and 1.60 GHz AMD Dual-Core Processor E-350. Available for $599.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.
• Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot MiFi™ 4510L and the Samsung 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot SCH-LC11 let customers share the 4G LTE Internet connection with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices at the same time.  The MiFi 4510L is $49.99 with a new two-year customer agreement and the Samsung Mobile Hotspot is $99.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.
• Verizon Wireless 4G LTE USB Modem 551L comes equipped with a fold-out USB connector, a four color LED Service Status Indicator and an internal antenna. Available for $19.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.
• The Pantech UML290 USB modem comes equipped with a fold-away, 180 degree rotating USB connector, an LED Service Status Indicator and an internal antenna. Available for $79.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

Coverage

In real-world, fully-loaded network environments, 4G LTE users should experience average data rates of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink, so customers in Bakersfield can enjoy the fast speeds of the world's first large-scale 4G LTE network.  Verizon Wireless began introducing the 4G LTE network on December 5, 2010, covering more than 110 million Americans, and is quickly expanding national coverage.  In addition to expanding 10 markets tomorrow, the company is adding 15 new markets, for a total of 117 areas covered.  The company is rapidly building out its 4G LTE network, currently covering more than 160 million Americans, with plans to bring coverage to more than 185 million Americans by the end of 2011.

In addition, the company is working with rural communications companies to collaboratively build and operate a 4G LTE network in those areas using the tower and backhaul assets of the rural company and Verizon Wireless' core 4G LTE equipment and premium 700 MHz spectrum.  To date, 10 rural carriers have announced their participation in the LTE in Rural America program and have leased spectrum covering, in total, more than 2.1 million people in rural communities and nearly 72,000 square miles.

When customers travel outside of a 4G LTE coverage area, the devices automatically connect to Verizon Wireless' 3G network, enabling customers to stay connected from coast to coast.  Verizon Wireless' 3G network is the most reliable network in the country and allows customers in 3G coverage areas today who purchase 4G LTE devices to take advantage of 4G LTE speeds when the faster network becomes available in their areas.  

4G LTE Data Plans and Pricing

Revolution by LG, DROID Charge by Samsung and ThunderBolt by HTC customers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan, beginning at $39.99 for monthly access, and a smartphone data plan starting at $30 for 2 GB of data.  Verizon Wireless customers can choose from the following data plans for their 4G LTE devices.

• Mobile Broadband Plans for smartphones, tablets and netbooks:
  • $30 monthly access for 2 GB monthly allowance
  • $50 monthly access for 5 GB monthly allowance
  • $80 monthly access for 10 GB monthly allowance
• Mobile Broadband Plans for Mobile Hotspots, USB modems and notebooks:
  • $50 monthly access for 5 GB monthly allowance
  • $80 monthly access for 10 GB monthly allowance

Customers can view and manage their data usage by logging on to My Verizon at www.verizonwireless.com/myverizon.  

For more information about Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network, visit www.verizonwireless.com/lte.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 106.3 million total wireless connections, including 89.7 million retail customers.  Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 83,000 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