Verizon Wireless Supporting Impacted Communities Coping With The Effects Of Hurricane Sandy

MORRISTOWN, N.J., Nov. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless continues to assist recovery efforts in the Northeastern United States in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy by:

• deploying Mobile Wireless Emergency Communications Center (WECC) trailers in hardest hit areas
• supporting public safety agencies with additional wireless communication devices
• deploying stores-on-wheels to serve customers
• offering device charging and free domestic calling at its open retail locations
• suspending late fees during the storm recovery period

All this is in addition to the company's round-the-clock efforts to restore network coverage in the affected areas.

Wireless Emergency Communication Center (WECC) Deployments
Wireless Emergency Communication Centers are generator-powered mobile units that have device charging and computer workstations, and wireless phones, tablets and other devices to contact friends, family and other important contacts over the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network.  WECCs have been deployed to the following locations:

Monmouth University – 400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch NJ 07764
Staten Island – NYPD, 489 Midland Avenue, Staten Island NY 10305 (will be operational Nov. 2)
Toms River NJ – High School North, 1221 Old Freehold Road, Toms River NJ 08753
Toms River NJ – High School East, 1225 Raider Way, Toms River NJ 08753

Stores-on-Wheels
Mobile stores-on-wheels are stocked with wireless devices and accessories, and will also be offering device charging and free domestic calls to local residents, regardless of their wireless provider. Mobile stores have been deployed at the following locations:

Staten Island – 2791 Richmond Avenue, Staten Island NY 10314 (will be open 11 a.m. Nov. 2)
Staten Island – 2945 Veterans Road West, Staten Island NY 10314 (will be open 11 a.m. Nov. 2)
Sea Girt, NJ – 1334 Laurel Avenue, Sea Girt NJ
Howell, NJ – 4813 US Highway 9, Howell NJ

Device charging and free domestic calling at open Verizon Wireless locations
The company invites local residents in impacted areas in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode island, regardless of their personal wireless provider, to come into any of its local open retail locations to charge their wireless devices and to make free domestic phone calls to family and friends. To locate the nearest Verizon Wireless store, use our store locator at http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/storelocator/index.jsp.

Company suspending late fees 
Verizon Wireless will also suspend late fees and will not disconnect services due to late payments during the storm recovery period.*

Network recovery progress
We have seen continued network improvement overnight with more than 96 percent of our cell sites now in service and serving our customers in the impacted areas, including some of the hardest hit areas of the Northeast. Verizon Wireless continues to deploy its mobile disaster recovery and emergency network assets, including cell sites on wheels and mobile generators, to fortify our network throughout the Northeast where telecommunications infrastructure, utility/power and/or flood damage are issues.

Supporting local storm relief agencies
In addition to serving residents, Verizon Wireless is working with local emergency response agencies and providing hundreds of wireless phones and data devices to emergency workers in the affected areas.

* (Customers in CT, DE, MD, MA, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VA or VT may be eligible.)

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves nearly 96 million retail customers, including 90.4 million retail postpaid customers.  Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 75,000 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