Storms Churn in Atlantic While Claudette Rains on Panhandle; Verizon Wireless Offers...

Storms Churn in Atlantic While Claudette Rains on Panhandle; Verizon Wireless
Offers Tips to Floridians

TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- With tropical storms Ana and Bill
churning in the Atlantic Ocean, and Claudette dumping rain on the Panhandle as
it moves farther inland, Floridians are urged to finalize their emergency
communication plans as the 2009 Hurricane Season heats up with its first three
named storms. Verizon Wireless, which operates the nation's largest and most
reliable wireless network, offers residents these tips to be safer during
strong weather and other emergencies:
-- 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.
-- Keep a list of emergency phone numbers - police, fire, and rescue
agencies; insurance providers; family, friends and co-workers; etc. -
programmed 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.

If a storm already is striking or threatening, Verizon Wireless suggests these
tips:
-- 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/ news reports available on wireless phone applications
when power is out.

"Thorough preparation is the key to staying safe and in touch during
emergencies," said Pam Tope, Florida region president for Verizon Wireless.
"Residents should take prudent steps now, just as our teams have been
preparing the network to provide strong coverage and services to residents and
emergency responders, no matter the situation."

Verizon Wireless has continued the intensive investments and preparations that
proved critical during and after past years' storm seasons. In the aftermath
of even the most devastating hurricanes, the Verizon Wireless network in
Florida remained strong while many other wireless communication networks
struggled to serve emergency response officials and residents.

Additional highlights of the Verizon Wireless 2009 Hurricane Season
preparation and network enhancement include:
-- A comprehensive emergency response plan, including preparing emergency
command centers across Florida in the case of a storm or other crisis.
-- Verizon Wireless network technicians traveled nearly 50,000 miles
across
the state this past year in six vehicles ($250,000 each equipped with
phones, wireless data devices and computers) to measure the quality of
calls on Verizon Wireless and other carriers.
-- The company has a fleet of dozens of Cells on Wheels (COWS), Cells on
Light Trucks (COLTS), and generators on trailers (GOaTS) that can be
rolled into hard-hit locations or areas that need extra network
capacity.
-- Pre-arranging fuel delivery to mobile units and generators to keep the
network operating at full strength even if power is lost for an
extended
period of time.
-- Erecting during the past year more than 90 new digital cell sites, of
which about 85 percent have their own on-site generators and new
expanded fuel tanks to extend their power-generating capacity.
-- The completion of the Verizon Wireless 3G high-speed wireless network
throughout the state, allowing customers to access advanced wireless
services more reliably and at even faster broadband speeds.

-- Updating and optimizing technology at regional network switching
facilities throughout the state, as well as nearing completion of a
high-tech $50 million switching facility in west Broward County. The
new
"super switch," which will be completed late this year, will
reinforce wireless network capacity and help enhance services for
customers throughout South Florida. All the company's super
switches, also located in Jacksonville, Orlando and the Tampa Bay
area,
are designed to withstand a Category 5 hurricane and are equipped with
large-scale back-up power generation.

These new technologies, facilities and network-strengthening efforts are part
of an investment of $2 billion in Florida since the company was formed in
2000.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless
voice and data network, serving 87.7 million customers. Headquartered in
Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 87,000 employees nationwide, Verizon
Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone
(NYSE and LSE: 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

Chuck Hamby, +1-813-404-6029, Chuck.Hamby@VerizonWireless.com