Verizon Wireless Florida Network Ready as 2009 Storm Season Heats Up

Former Alltel Customers Benefit From Nation's Largest, Most Reliable Network

TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- As the 2009 Tropical Hurricane Season
heats up with three named storms developing this week, Verizon Wireless
operations are well prepared and ready to serve Florida customers with the
nation's largest and most reliable wireless network.

Tropical Storm Claudette already sent heavy rain and high winds across the
Florida Panhandle, an area where many former Alltel customers now enjoy the
benefit of the stronger, larger Verizon Wireless network. Verizon Wireless
acquired Alltel earlier this year and is upgrading and reconfiguring more than
700 of the former carrier's cell sites and several large switching facilities
in Florida to work as part of the more advanced Verizon Wireless network.

Hurricane Bill and Tropical Depression Ana continue to develop in the Atlantic
Ocean and could threaten parts of Florida later this week. However, Verizon
Wireless has invested more than $200 million in network enhancements across
the state since 2008 to ensure that Floridians have comprehensive, reliable
wireless coverage in severe weather and every day.

Highlights of these enhancements include expanding capacity in the company's
regional switching facilities throughout Florida, erecting new digital cell
sites with on-site back-up power, and deploying a team of "test men and women"
across the state in high-tech vehicles to fine tune the company's all-digital
network.

These intensive investments and preparations proved critical during and after
past years' extraordinary 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 reaching out to insurance
providers, family, friends and co-workers.

Further details of the Verizon Wireless hurricane season preparation and
network enhancements 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, who serve as the inspiration for
the famous TV Test Man commercials, traveled more than 48,000 miles
across the state this past year in six vehicles (each valued at
$250,000, equipped with phones, wireless data devices and computers)
to
measure the quality of voice and data 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 more than 70 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, as well as nearing completion of a high-tech $50 million
switching facility in Broward County. The new "super switch,"
which will be completed early next 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