Just in Time for Busy Summer Season, Verizon Wireless Expanding 4G LTE Network to Delaware Shore Points May 17

DOVER, Del., May 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless today announced that just in time for the busy summer season, it will expand the nation's largest 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network in Delaware to cover several Delaware beach communities and the surrounding areas. The expanded 4G LTE network will enable customers to use their wireless devices to access the Internet faster, listen to music or watch video, take advantage of thousands of applications, and stay in touch with family and friends, all with speeds up to 10 times faster than before.

The planned network expansion will cover Rehoboth Beach, Bethany Beach, and the communities of Lewes and Seaford, Del. The company's 4G LTE network is currently available in Wilmington, Del., and the surrounding area and in Dover.

"The size of our 4G LTE network gives us a significant competitive advantage over competitors as it enables more residents, small businesses and local government to take advantage of the speed and connectivity benefits offered by this advanced technology," said Verizon Wireless Regional President Mario Turco.  "We are committed to continuing the aggressive rollout of our 4G LTE network in 2012."

The company's 4G LTE is available to more than 70 percent of the region's population, including Philadelphia and surrounding suburbs, the Lehigh Valley, Harrisburg, Lebanon, and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and portions of southern New Jersey and Delaware. In addition to the Delaware expansion, as of May 17, Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE will also be available in Lancaster and York, Pa., and at the Jersey Shore from Point Pleasant down into portions of Cape May county.

The continuing rollout of Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE wireless technology across the region highlighted a more than $200 million regional network investment in 2011 – the eighth consecutive year the company has invested more than $100 million in its wireless network locally. The company's regional network investment totals more than $1.8 billion since 2000.

4G LTE Devices and Plans

Verizon Wireless customers can choose from a variety of more than 20, 4G LTE-enabled devices, including notebooks and netbooks; hotspots and modems; and smartphones and tablets, including the new LG Lucid™, an easy-to-use smartphone offering 4G LTE speeds at a low price, and the soon to be launched DROID Incredible 4G LTE by HTC, which will allow users to shoot HD video and capture photos at the same time with its Video Pic feature, all over the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network.

The company also recently introduced HomeFusion(SM) Broadband, a solution that leverages the power and speed of the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network to deliver high-speed, in-home Internet access for residential broadband, particularly in areas where Internet options are limited or are not currently available.

4G LTE Overview

Verizon Wireless introduced the globe's first large-scale LTE network on December 5, 2010, and currently offers service in 230 markets nationwide, and is on course to deliver 4G LTE to its entire 3G wireless footprint by the end of 2013. The company's 700 MHz spectrum gives Verizon Wireless specific advantages with 4G, including a contiguous, nationwide network license.

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. When customers travel outside a 4G coverage area, their devices automatically connect to Verizon Wireless' 3G network, enabling customers to stay connected from coast to coast.

The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network was named "Fastest 4G Network Yet" by Popular Science's 2011 Best of What's New Awards, and was ranked No. 1 on PC World's 100 Best Products of 2011. For more information about Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network, please visit: www.verizonwireless.com/lte.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 93.0 million retail customers, including 88.0 million retail postpaid customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 80,000 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