Washington State Customers Benefit From $71 Million Verizon Wireless Network Expansion In 2009 Tweet

Investment gives customers faster wireless service in more locations for better Web browsing, downloads of music and 3D games, streaming video and e-mail.

BELLEVUE, WA — Across the Evergreen State wireless users are making more wireless calls and using more data services thanks to Verizon Wireless’ $71 million network investment in 2009. That’s an average of nearly $194,000 per day spent to provide customers in Washington with the reliable, high-quality service they expect from Verizon Wireless.

The company’s ongoing network investment now totals more than $907 million in Washington and more than $55 billion nationally over the past nine years.

“Our customers are texting, e-mailing, downloading music, visiting Web sites and sharing pictures and videos at a record pace. Last year in Washington State, 3G wireless data traffic increased nearly 90% percent from 2008,” said Kelley Kurtzman region president, Verizon Wireless.

Verizon Wireless has the largest and most reliable wireless voice and 3G data network coverage area in the U.S. A side-by-side comparison of 3G network coverage maps shows that Verizon Wireless has more 3G coverage than the three other major carriers.

New cell sites
A total of 54 new cell sites were installed and activated in 25 counties throughout Washington in 2009 to increase coverage and enhance 3G high-speed wireless services.

Alltel integration
In January 2009, Verizon Wireless completed its integration of Unicel in Eastern Washington, Oregon and North Idaho, in addition to acquiring Alltel, expanding the company’s network coverage to approximately 290 million people, nearly the entire U.S. population.

Real-life Test Men
Verizon Wireless network technicians (who inspired the famous TV Test Man character) traveled nearly 30,000 miles across Washington last year in special vehicles to measure connection quality on the Verizon Wireless network versus other carriers.

4G LTE services
Verizon Wireless also took steps toward the rollout of the nation’s first 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless network beginning in Seattle and Boston. The company’s aggressive 4G LTE network build includes plans to launch in 25 to 30 markets in 2010 and cover virtually all its current nationwide 3G footprint with the next-generation network by the end of 2013.

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