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WirelessDevNet.com Press Release
Verizon Wireless Announces Roll Out of National 3G Network
BEDMINSTER, N.J., and LAS VEGAS, Jan. 8 -- Verizon Wireless,
the nation's largest and most reliable wireless voice network and the leader
in next generation technology deployment, will begin immediately to expand its
BroadbandAccess service nationally. Powered by Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-
DO) third generation (3G) wide-area network, BroadbandAccess commercial
service, with average user speeds of 300-500 kilobits per second (kbps), is
expected to be available in many major U.S. cities this summer.
Denny Strigl, president and CEO of Verizon Wireless, said, "Verizon
Wireless has earned the reputation as the nation's most reliable wireless
service provider because of our focus on our network. Building on that
success, we are offering BroadbandAccess to our business and individual
customers who are ready to move to the next level of mobile communications:
tremendous speed, rich graphic content, video, music and more. In announcing
the national expansion of this exciting new service, we pledge to remain
relentless in our pursuit of providing the highest quality voice and data
services."
Verizon Wireless 3G Network Benefits
BroadbandAccess, the fastest commercial wide-area wireless data technology
available today, is based on CDMA technology-a digital wireless technology
commercially developed by QUALCOMM. Since October 2003, BroadbandAccess has
been successfully deployed in Washington D.C. with Lucent Technologies, and in
San Diego with Nortel Networks. This high-speed data network will be
available to business and individual customers beginning in the summer of 2004
throughout significant portions of the Verizon Wireless national footprint,
with additional markets phased in through 2005. Because it is backward
compatible-a distinct advantage to using CDMA technology-customers who travel
outside a BroadbandAccess area with an EV-DO device will seamlessly switch to
Verizon Wireless' existing NationalAccess network, based on 1xRTT technology.
In addition to its ongoing annual capital investment program to build network
capacity and coverage, the company expects to invest $1 billion over the next
two years to deploy its EV-DO technology nationally.
(EDITORS: Verizon Communications CEO Ivan Seidenberg will demonstrate
BroadbandAccess later today at the 2004 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas
during his keynote presentation.)
Initial Success for Broadband Wireless
"As the first carrier to commercially launch wide-area broadband wireless
data service in major markets, we have been extremely successful. Verizon
Wireless BroadbandAccess customers in Washington D.C. and San Diego have told
us the technology has improved their productivity and their ability to respond
more quickly to their customers' needs," said Dick Lynch, executive vice
president and chief technical officer for Verizon Wireless. "Not only will
the expansion of our BroadbandAccess service solidify our position as the
leader in wireless data innovation, but more importantly it will allow our
customers to benefit from this high-speed data service in even more places."
New and Improved Applications for Business and Individual Customers
Later this year Verizon Wireless customers in many major markets will be
able to use new EV-DO handsets and laptops equipped with PC cards to enjoy the
many new fun and visual capabilities. They will be able to experience Get It
Now(SM) applications at broadband speed including multi-player gaming, music
and video content, video messaging and other multi-media applications.
Working with virtual private network (VPN) connections, enterprise
customers can use BroadbandAccess as an extension of their corporate local
area network (LAN) or intranet, allowing them to work from any location within
the BroadbandAccess coverage area, as if they were in the office.
BroadbandAccess, with average user speeds of 300-500 kilobits per second
(kbps), is ideal for downloading files and business-critical information
residing behind corporate firewalls and for accessing e-mail, intranets and
the Internet. BroadbandAccess uses CDMA EV-DO technology that has its own
data protection and authentication and is designed to work with a business'
existing IT infrastructure and security solutions.
"The fast, simple access that BroadbandAccess provides is changing the way
the corporate world views wireless data. Not only is it easy to use, it is
also easy for IT departments to install and maintain and requires only the
same level of customer support as wired high-speed access," said Andrew
Seybold, principal in Outlook4Mobility and editor-in-chief of Andrew Seybold's
Wireless Outlook. "American consumers, who are already embracing new camera
phones, will be blown away by the ways EV-DO enriches their wireless
experiences. Imagine sharing video clips of special occasions with loved ones
hundreds of miles away, or being able to participate in video calls with the
important people in our lives. Verizon Wireless is on the path to the
equivalent of the 'holy grail' in the wireless data world."
Enterprise customers can access information when they are on the road --
at customer locations, at job sites, in taxis, or on trains -- faster than
with any competing technology. With data transmission bursts up to above 2
Megabits per second (Mbps), BroadbandAccess customers could download a 1
Megabyte e-mail attachment (for example, a small PowerPoint presentation or a
large PDF file), or receive three digital pictures (each 400 x 600 pixels) in
less than 30 seconds, which is three to four times faster than using EDGE
service, and as much as ten times faster than on a competitor's GPRS network.
(EDITORS: Broadcast-quality B-roll footage about BroadbandAccess is
available online. Log onto http://www.thenewsmarket.com/verizonwireless to preview
and request video segments, which can be received in newsrooms digitally, by
tape or via satellite.)
Pricing Provides Value
BroadbandAccess service is priced at a flat rate of $79.99 monthly access
with a one-year contract. Verizon Wireless is offering its first
BroadbandAccess device, the Verizon Wireless PC 5220 card, which also provides
access to the NationalAccess national data network. Through March 31, 2004,
Verizon Wireless customers can buy the Verizon Wireless PC 5220 card for
$149.99 after $100 rebate with a two-year service agreement. In the coming
months, Verizon Wireless expects to offer additional BroadbandAccess devices,
including additional PC cards, modem solutions for the office, and a wide
range of the latest handheld mobile devices customized to present video, music
and other content made more convenient and accessible by high-speed wireless
service.
BroadbandAccess is part of VZOffice, a suite of business solutions
designed to meet the connectivity needs of Verizon Wireless business
customers. VZOffice combines complementary wireless voice and data solutions
including NationalAccess, the company's national data network offering wide-
area coverage and mobility at speeds comparable to dial-up to more than 230
million potential customers, and WiFiAccess, available in frequently traveled
"hot spots", including many major airports and hotels.
"With the launch of BroadbandAccess in the Washington D.C. and San Diego
regions, we consistently deliver customized, technologically advanced wireless
solutions that meet our business customers' need for speed, security, coverage
and reliability when it comes to wireless data access," said John Stratton,
vice president and chief marketing officer of Verizon Wireless. "And we are
committed to making this leading-edge service available to our customers in
many parts of the country this year."
In October 2003, Verizon Wireless rolled out EV-DO in Washington D.C. that
included coverage in the District of Columbia, the Reston and Alexandria, VA
areas and the Rockville, MD area. In San Diego, CA, coverage extends from
Oceanside south to National City and east to include Escondido, Poway and El
Cajon.
For more information on BroadbandAccess and Verizon Wireless data
services, visit http://www.verizonwireless.com.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless is the nation's leading provider of wireless
communications. The company has the largest nationwide wireless voice and
data network and 36 million customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ,
Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and
Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at
http://www.verizonwireless.com
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