Verizon Wireless Celebrates Marquette, Mich., As Company's 400th 4G LTE Market

MARQUETTE, Mich., Oct. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate the launch of Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) technology in Marquette, Mich., the nation's fastest 4G network, the company is hosting a celebration in Marquette that gives residents a chance to win one of 10 brand new 4G LTE smartphones. Verizon hosted a citywide scavenger hunt for pins that were hidden in secret locations around town. On Wednesday, Oct. 17, 100 Verizon 4G LTE pins were hidden in secret locations across Marquette. Throughout the week, residents visited www.verizoninsider.com/400 for clues to the locations of the pins. Upon finding a pin, the customers were invited to bring it to the Verizon Wireless store in Marquette, located at 2840 U.S. Highway 41 West on Thursday, Oct. 18 at 12 p.m., where there will be a special celebration event, to see if they are a winner. Ten of the pins are guaranteed to win a lucky participant a 4G LTE smartphone at that event.

Today, Verizon will officially launch 4G LTE in Marquette, by providing a $10,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation to The Women's Center, a domestic violence prevention organization located in Marquette; a technology grant of tablets to Northern Michigan University's CITE program and a total of $44,000 in HopeLine® grants to the following domestic violence shelter and prevention organizations from across the Upper Peninsula:

• Alliance Against Violence & Abuse, Inc. (Escanaba, Mich.),
• Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter Home (Calumet, Mich.),
• Baraga County Shelter Home (L'Anse, Mich.),
• Caring House, Inc. (Iron Mountain, Mich.),
• Dial Help, Inc. (Houghton, Mich.),
• Diane Peppler Resource Center (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.),
• Domestic Violence Escape, Inc. (Ironwood, Mich.),
• Hannahville Indian Community (Wilson, Mich.),
• Keweenaw Bay Indian Community VOCA (Baraga, Mich.),
• Bay Mills Indian Community (Brimley, Mich),
• Family Counseling and Shelter Services (Monroe, Mich.).

Marquette is not the only community in Michigan to benefit from the expansion of Verizon's 4G LTE wireless network on Oct. 18. The company will also expand to Monroe, Allegan and Ionia counties. With this statewide expansion, the company reaches a significant milestone, having invested $2 billion in its Michigan network since the company was formed in 2000.

"More and more Michiganders are now able to connect to the world around them through the continued development of high-speed mobile broadband services." Michigan Governor Rick Snyder said. "Broadband access is essential to a 21^st Century economy and to the reinvention of Michigan. It enables government to better serve its customers, schools to expand their curriculums and research capabilities, the health care industry to better engage with patients, and private businesses to reach global markets. The expansion of Verizon's 4G LTE network to Marquette is an important part of closing the digital divide."

Executives from Verizon Wireless, including Marni Walden, chief operating officer, Verizon Wireless, and T.J. Fox, region president, Verizon Wireless, will be in Marquette to discuss Verizon's commitment to bringing 4G LTE to cities of all sizes and rural locations across the country, and share in the celebration.

"We are so happy to bring 4G LTE to areas like Marquette for businesses, the students at Northern Michigan University and customers who want to enjoy the very best experience in wireless technology," said Fox. "As our 4G LTE wireless network continues to expand, Marquette is a perfect example of the evolution of Verizon's 4G LTE and our efforts to ensure the technology is available not just in larger cities across the country, but in small towns and rural areas as well," Fox added. "Verizon is committed not only to bringing the latest technology to Marquette, but also to supporting organizations like The Women's Center and the many others across the Upper Peninsula that provide such vital services supporting and sheltering domestic violence victims."

Verizon has a long history of supporting domestic violence organizations and working to help end the abusive cycle of violence in our communities. Statistics show that one out of every four women in America will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime. Organizations like The Women's Center provide vital support services to victims of this pervasive problem.

"In times of economic hardship, we find the need for our services is the most pressing," said Phyllis Loonfoot, executive director, The Women's Center. "It's also when we count on the support of organizations like Verizon Wireless the most. This grant from Verizon Wireless means we will continue to be able to provide our services to women and children who have a very real need."

More About the HopeLine Program
Through the award-winning HopeLine® program, Verizon Wireless collects no-longer-used wireless devices in their stores and at special events year-round. Phones that are collected are refurbished or sold with the proceeds used to purchase newer wireless phones for domestic violence survivors and to support domestic violence shelters and organizations across the country, like the ones in the Upper Peninsula. Phones that can't be refurbished are recycled in an environmentally sound way.

Since 2001, HopeLine has collected more than 9 million phones; awarded more than $14.2 million in cash grants to prevention and awareness programs nationwide; and donated more than 123,000 HopeLine phones with 406 million minutes of airtime to victims, survivors and domestic violence organizations. In 2011 in Michigan, more than 34,000 phones were collected and more than $300,000 in cash grants were awarded. The company is committed to ending domestic violence and supporting victims of this silent epidemic.

More about 4G LTE
With the 23 new and 41 expanded markets on Oct. 18, the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network is now available in more than 410 markets across the Unites States, surpassing its previously announced goal of providing its mobile broadband service in 400 markets by the end of this year. The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network covers nearly 4 out of 5 people in the U.S. – and offers more 4G LTE coverage in the U.S. than all other networks combined.

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 of 4G LTE coverage areas, devices automatically connect to the Verizon Wireless 3G network, where available, enabling customers to stay connected from coast to coast. 

Beyond Major Cities
Verizon Wireless has expanded its 4G LTE network beyond major cities with its LTE in Rural America program.  Seventeen rural carriers have announced their participation in the program and five have introduced the service. Verizon Wireless customers can also take advantage of HomeFusion^℠ 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.

Visit www.verizonwireless.com/lte for a full list of 4G LTE markets, including a list of markets that will be coming on Oct. 18, and additional details about the upcoming 4G LTE events being held in local Verizon Wireless Communications Stores.  For street-level detail of coverage and more, please visit www.verizonwireless.com/4GLTE.

Digital Satellite News Feed Of Verizon Wireless 400^th Market Celebration:

• Event News Footage from Marquette, Mich., Verizon Wireless Store
  • Marni Walden, chief operating officer, T.J. Fox, region president, presenting grant checks to teams of individuals from 11 domestic violence organizations from the Upper Peninsula.
  • Presentation of technology grant to Northern Michigan University
  • Footage of representations "flipping the switch" for the launch of Verizon's 400^th 4G LTE market
  • Remarks from Marquette, Mich., Mayor John Kivela
  • Remarks from Congressman Benishek
  • Footage of residents bringing 4G LTE map scavenger hunt pins to the Verizon store
• Interviews – Public/participants in event and Verizon Representatives  

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Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012; 3:30 – 3:45 P.M. EDT
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About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 94.2 million retail customers, including 88.8 million retail postpaid customers.  Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 78,000 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