Verizon Kicks Off Wireless Technology Innovation Awards in the Carolinas

GREENVILLE, S.C., March 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting April 1, Verizon Wireless will begin accepting entries for its 2013 Wireless Technology Innovation Awards for small and mid-sized businesses located in North and South Carolina. The company invites businesses, non-profit groups and other organizations to showcase ways Verizon Wireless mobile technology solutions improve efficiency, save money and elevate customer satisfaction. Corporate sponsors for the awards program include Alcatel Lucent, Samsung and Blackberry.

"Mobile technology is dramatically changing the ways small and mid-sized businesses operate," said Jerry Fountain, president for Verizon Wireless' Carolinas/Tennessee region. "More than ever before, wireless technology can help businesses innovate, serve customers better, save time and cut costs. The Wireless Technology Innovation Awards highlight the creativity of our regional businesses and showcase the best practices that are making them more successful year over year."

In the 2012 competition, Wilmington, N.C.-based RimGuard Xtreme, Inc. placed first among small businesses for its wireless technology strategy that led to increased customer satisfaction, new business leads, cost savings and higher overall efficiency. Fayetteville's Vance Johnson Plumbing won the top prize for medium-sized businesses by demonstrating the ways wireless technology had afforded the business options for doing things quicker, smarter and less expensively.

Judging Criteria for 2013

Participants should share initial business challenges and demonstrate how they creatively implemented Verizon Wireless solutions to solve problems with their business. Participants must topline the benefits of the solutions employed and explain how they have positively affected their business or organization.

One grand prize winner for organizations with up to 500 employees will earn a $10,000 cash award from Verizon Wireless and one runner up organization will earn a $5,000 cash award.  The winning companies or organizations will be featured in a Verizon Wireless Technology Innovation Awards video, which will highlight each winner's business, services and/or products and how they incorporated wireless technology into their business.

Verizon Wireless will accept entries for the Wireless Technology Innovation Awards April 1 through Aug. 31, 2013. Verizon Wireless executives and local business leaders will evaluate the entries and winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Oct. 30 at The Peace Center in Greenville, S.C.

For more information on the contest, visit the official Wireless Technology Innovation Awards www.vzwinnovationawards.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 98.2 million retail customers, including 92.5 million retail postpaid customers.  Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 73,000 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