Verizon Wireless Invested More Than $184 Million in Georgia in 2009

ALPHARETTA, Ga., Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless announced today that it invested more than $184 million in 2009 on installing 41 new cell sites, additional network capacity in over 75 cities and numerous other projects to enhance services and coverage for wireless customers across Georgia. As a result, 99 percent of the state's population is covered by Verizon Wireless' 3G network, ensuring customers have not only the coverage needed for their growing data needs but the capacity to stay connected wherever they go in Georgia.  

Since 2003, the company has invested nearly $1 billion on network in Georgia, and since the company was formed in 2000 more than $55 billion invested across the nation to expand and enhances its voice and data network.

New Cell Sites and Other Network Enhancements

Over the course of 2009, new cell towers were activated in Ocean Pond, Alpharetta, Gwinnett County, Pembroke, Lake Spivey area, Mableton, West Point (near the Kia Motors Plant), Berkley Lake and Ellijay. In addition to the new towers, network enhancements were made in the cities of Atlanta (at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, in Midtown, six buildings at the CDC and in Buckhead), Warner Robins, Dublin, Macon, Columbus, Augusta, Wrens, Waynesboro, Millen, Bowden, Grantville, Hinesville, Lawrenceville, LaGrange, Wrightsville, Omega, Carrollton, Bremen, Buford, Peachtree City, McDonough, Americus and Albany, providing customers with faster, reliable service. Verizon Wireless also helped shoppers better connect in-store with enhanced in-building coverage for the Wal-Mart locations in Thomson, Waynesboro, Hinesville and Elberton, Ga.

All these areas are covered by the most advanced Verizon Wireless 3G EV-DO (Rev. A) network, providing customers with the ability to browse the Web faster for quick page-loading times, quick downloads for music and 3D games, streaming video, e-mails with attachments, video conferencing with contacts, rapidly sharing files and quick access to VZ Navigator -- a location-based service offering maps, audible driving directions, traffic updates, gas station locations and pricing.

"We've always believed even the most advanced device is only as good as the network it runs on. The better the network, the better the performance of the applications consumers use most. It's as simple as that," said Jeff Mango, Georgia/Alabama region president of Verizon Wireless. "We continue to aggressively invest in our Georgia network to increase coverage and capacity for our customers, add new services, and maintain our network leadership for Georgians so that they can connect wherever and whenever they need."

Alltel Integration

Since the January 2009 acquisition of Alltel, Verizon Wireless upgraded and integrated Alltel's 3G data network to the latest revision of wireless broadband technology. In Georgia, nearly 250 cell sites were integrated into the Verizon Wireless network stretching across the Southern region of the state from north Worth County to south Charlton County and around the Georgia Coast in Chatham, Effingham and Bryan Counties. The company also conducted grand openings of nine formerly-Alltel stores in the cities of Augusta, North Augusta, Columbus, Rincon, Savannah, Vidalia, Tifton, Valdosta and Moultrie, Ga. During these events, Verizon Wireless donated a total of nearly $10,000 in HopeLine grants to the cities' domestic violence shelters and organizations, helping women and children that are working to live violence-free.

"We believe strongly in supporting the communities in which we live and work," said Mango. "Through our nationally recognized HopeLine program we were able to make these donations to our new Georgia markets, helping to do our part in ending domestic violence here in our state and across the country."

Other 2009 Highlights

• Nearly seven billion voice and data transmissions and more than 16 billion minutes of airtime were logged on the Verizon Wireless network in Georgia during last six months of 2009. Wireless data traffic increased over 130% and Text Messaging Service increased nearly 70% from the same time period in 2008.
• Verizon Wireless' network technicians (who serve as the inspiration for the famous TV Test Man ad campaign) traveled more than 32,000 miles across the state in 2009 in special test vehicles equipped with phones, wireless data devices and computers to measure the quality of voice and data calls on the Verizon Wireless network, as well as other carriers' wireless networks.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 91 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with  83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (Nasdaq and LSE: 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