Verizon Wireless Prepared as Tropical Storm Hanna Threatens Georgia

Residents are Urged to Make Emergency Communications Plans

ATLANTA, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- With Tropical Storm Hanna threatening
the Georgia coast, Verizon Wireless urges residents to have their emergency
communications plans in place. The company offers the following tips:
-- Keep wireless phone batteries fully charged - in case local power is
lost - well before warnings are issued.
-- Have additional charged batteries and car-charger adapters available
for back-up power.
-- Keep phones, batteries, chargers and other equipment in a dry,
accessible location.
-- Maintain a list of emergency phone numbers - police, fire, and rescue
agencies; power companies; insurance providers; family, friends and co-
workers; etc. - and program them into your phone.
-- Distribute wireless phone numbers to family members and friends.
-- Forward your home phone calls to your wireless number if you will be
away from your home or have to evacuate.
-- Limit non-emergency calls to conserve battery power and free-up
wireless networks for emergency agencies and operations.
-- Send brief text messages rather than voice calls for the same reasons
as above.
-- Check weather and news reports available on wireless phone applications
when commercial power is out.
Tropical Storm Hanna is expected to reach landfall by Friday of this week.
The storm already has begun to churn the ocean waters off the Southeast coast.
Over the Labor Day weekend, numerous rescues by lifeguards were carried out
along the beaches of South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina all due to
the dangerous rip currents.
"It's clear that Hanna will have some impact on our region, but
preparation and communication will help lessen any problems the storm throws
at us," said Jeff Mango, region president for Verizon Wireless
Georgia/Alabama. "We prepare our network all year long, spending more than
$110 million across these two states in 2008 to date, to be ready for storms
and other emergencies. We work hard to ensure Georgians can use their phones
when and where they need it."
The Verizon Wireless network is built for reliability in emergencies, with
battery back up power at all facilities and generators installed at all
switching facilities and most cell site locations. The company has enhanced
its network along the Georgia coast and along all evacuation routes for more
than 100 miles inland in order to be able to immediately increase the calling
capacity for evacuees in the event a hurricane threatens the Georgia, South
Carolina or Florida coastline. Additional Verizon Wireless preparation for
events such as Hanna includes:
-- The company has expanded its EV-DO wireless broadband network,
including launching its highest-speed Rev. A network throughout the region.
This allows the most advanced wireless services (downloads, location-based
applications, video messaging, etc.) and makes the network more robust for
usage by residents and emergency agencies.
-- Verizon Wireless is fully prepared to set up Wireless Emergency
Communication Centers* (WECCs) to serve residents and rescue agencies in the
area(s) in the greatest need. The company also has a fleet of Cells on Wheels
(COWS) and Cells on Light Trucks (COLTS), and generators on trailers (GOaTS)
that can be rolled into hard-hit locations.
-- The company has developed and practiced a comprehensive emergency
response plan, including preparing emergency command centers in the case of a
storm or crisis.
-- Verizon Wireless has a Communications Store on wheels* ready to roll.
The 35-foot trailer will allow Verizon Wireless to maintain retail operations
in areas when company stores are not able to open or when retail services are
needed in areas where natural disaster strikes, enabling customers to purchase
the wireless phones and accessories they need.
* Broadcast and Print Editors: High resolution stills and broadcast-quality
video of Verizon Wireless' network assets, its real-life test men and women
and other disaster preparedness and recovery material are available in the
Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and
data network, serving 68.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge,
N.J., with 70,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of
Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more
information, go to: www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request
broadcast-quality video and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless
operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at
www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
SOURCE Verizon Wireless

Caran Smith, Verizon Wireless, +1-678-339-4891,
Caran.Smith@verizonwireless.com