Deliver Your News to the World

Verizon Wireless Network Ready For Football’s Championship Game


WEBWIRE

01/25/2006, BEDMINSTER, NJ — With more than 100,000 visitors expected to converge on metropolitan Detroit for the biggest football game of the year, Verizon Wireless is making sure the nation’s most reliable wireless network is ready for the big crowds heading for the fun-filled week of football festivities in the Motor City.

In anticipation of the increase in call volume, Verizon Wireless has activated five new permanent cell sites and installed additional equipment on all existing cell sites in downtown Detroit. Additionally, the company will herd two COWs (Cells On Wheels) and corral a COLT (Cell On Light Truck) to surround Ford Field during the week of the game. The COWS and COLT are fully functional, generator-powered mobile cell sites that are designed to enhance wireless capacity in a given area.

The network enhancements will improve Verizon Wireless’ digital capacity in and around Ford Field by 300 percent, Cobo Hall by 100 percent and the remainder of downtown Detroit by 25 percent, enabling more customers to use their wireless phones concurrently. The improvements also will enable Verizon Wireless customers to experience fewer dropped calls and clearer reception while talking on their wireless phones, sending TXT and Picture Messages, viewing streaming video or downloading games and ringtones before, during and after the big game.

“We work year-round to ensure that our customers have a positive wireless experience - whether in their own homes or traveling to attend big events, such as the upcoming football game,” said Greg Haller, president, Michigan/Indiana/Kentucky, Verizon Wireless. “With our preparations in place, customers who live in Detroit, as well as those who are traveling to the city from across the country, will enjoy the same reliable service they have come to expect from Verizon Wireless.”

Those who want some football excitement before game day can download their favorite football games from the getGAMES shopping aisle of the Get It Now® Virtual Store. Verizon Wireless customers can also get in the spirit by downloading songs from V CAST Music* in the getTONES shopping aisle of their V CAST Music-enabled phone. V CAST Music lets music lovers in Detroit and in 180 major metropolitan areas in the country download music over the air directly to their wireless phones or straight to their Windows® XP PCs. Each song is $1.99 when downloaded from the phone and $0.99 when downloaded on a Windows XP PC.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

Editor’s Note: For an on-site tour of a COW or COLT, to take a photo or to schedule an interview with a Verizon Wireless network expert, please call Tom Pica at 908-306-4385.

* V CAST and V CAST Music available in select areas. Customers must have a V CAST VPak subscription and a V CAST-enabled phone to access the V CAST Music Store.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation’s most reliable wireless network, serving 51.3 million voice and data 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 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.



WebWireID8343





This news content was configured by WebWire editorial staff. Linking is permitted.

News Release Distribution and Press Release Distribution Services Provided by WebWire.