Verizon Wireless Customers in the Midlands of South Carolina Gain Improved Coverage With the Addition of 55 New Cell Sites

COLUMBIA, S.C., June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless recently completed a comprehensive network upgrade that delivers expanded service in the Midlands of South Carolina.  The result is 55 new cell towers into the already robust and industry-leading Verizon Wireless voice and data network in the Midlands.  The addition of these new towers, a result of the Alltel purchase, means dramatically denser site coverage.  For Verizon Wireless customers in Bethune, Bishopville, Blythewood, Camden, Cassatt, Cayce, Chapin, Columbia, Eastover, Gadsden, Gaston, Gilbert, Irmo, Leesville, Lexington, Little Mountain, Lugoff, Pelion, Sumter, West Columbia and Westville more cell towers mean a more expansive voice and data footprint, more coverage inside buildings, improved throughput speeds and stronger signals throughout the market.

"The best network continues to get better," said Jerry Fountain, Verizon Wireless Carolinas Region President. "We are committed to continuing enhancements to our network so that our customers know they can depend on us every time they use their wireless devices. With the addition of these towers, we have achieved network enhancements in just one year that would have taken several years to complete through a typical build plan."

To celebrate the expansion of the Verizon Wireless network, the following Verizon Wireless stores will host Network Appreciation Days June 25-27:

• Northeast Columbia - 10110 Two Notch Rd, Columbia, SC 29223
• Two Notch - 7007A Two Notch Rd, Columbia, SC 29223
• Columbiana - 173 Columbiana Cir, Columbia, SC 29212
• Lexington - 5596 Sunset Blvd, Lexington, SC 29072
• Sumter - 73 W Wesmark Blvd, Sumter, SC 29150

As customers continue to expand the way they use their devices, Verizon Wireless continues to stay ahead of their demand.  "People are doing more with their phones these days," said Fountain.  "The skyrocketing popularity of applications, music and video downloads, web browsing, texting, emailing, calendar management and navigation tools utilizes a tremendous amount of wireless bandwidth.  With this integration, combined with our annual capital investments over the past several years, we are ready for today's traffic and the increases we anticipate tomorrow."

In 2009 alone, Verizon Wireless invested nearly $87 million in South Carolina for improvements to their network, bringing the total investment in the state to $770 million since the company was formed in 2000.  That investment, combined with the recent purchase and integration of the Alltel network assets, strategically positions Verizon Wireless' network as the largest and most reliable for customers in the Columbia area, with seven times the 3G coverage of their closest competitor.  "Our superior network is what makes it possible for customers to truly enjoy the features of their devices. Our focus on providing the best customer experience is largely driven by our network. We will continue investing to make the experience better every day," said Fountain.

Beyond 3G: Verizon's Investment in LTE

While recognizing the ongoing investment in its 3G network has been considerable throughout the state, Verizon Wireless is already looking beyond the most recent network expansion.  Committed to continued improvements and advancements in wireless technology to ensure the best possible wireless experience for their customers, Verizon Wireless is already laying the groundwork to begin rolling out 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology this year.  LTE will offer significant benefits to Verizon Wireless customers, including:

• LTE will support faster download and upload rates enabling customers to run larger and more complex applications faster.  
• LTE will operate in the 700 MHz spectrum, which provides better coverage and in-building penetration.
• Because of the increased data speeds and wider coverage, LTE will make mass deployment of machine-to-machine applications and devices possible.
• And, LTE is the global mobile communications standard chosen by a majority of the world's leading carriers, which means greater opportunities for seamless roaming.

LTE is currently being tested in select markets and will be commercially available in select markets this year.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving nearly 93 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 81,000 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