Wireless emergency preparedness tips help customers stay connected in times of
crisis
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Nov. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- As the Tea Fire blazes
threaten communities in Santa Barbara County, Verizon Wireless' network is
ready to deliver reliable wireless coverage and service to keep emergency
responders and customers connected. The company's network crews and disaster
response team -- including many veterans of previous wild fires throughout
California -- are on alert.
"The devastation caused by wild fires affects our customers, communities
and employees," said Rich Garwood, Verizon Wireless regional president. "We
are committed to making a difference now and for the long haul. It's one of
the reasons we added generators at even more cell sites last year."
Network reliability
Verizon Wireless has made extensive investments and efforts to prepare its
network for emergencies and provide the most reliable ongoing wireless service
for residents and businesses. Last year, the company invested more than $650
million throughout California to strengthen and enhance its wireless network.
The company invested more than $360 million during the first half of 2008.
Highlights of Verizon Wireless' 2008 emergency preparation and network
enhancements include:
-- The company has a fleet of Cells on Wheels (COWs) and Cells on Light
Trucks (COLTs), and Generators on Trailers (GOaTs) that can be deployed
to fire command centers or areas that need extra network capacity.
-- The company has made arrangements for 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.
-- The company has expanded its Rev. A EV-DO wireless broadband network
throughout the region. This allows the most advanced wireless services
(downloads, location-based applications, video messaging, etc.) and
makes the network more reliable for usage by residents and emergency
agencies.
Verizon Wireless has invested more than $45 billion in the past eight
years to enhance its digital wireless network across the nation.
Tips for customers
To help wireless customers stay connected during an emergency Verizon
Wireless offers the following tips:
-- Save emergency phone numbers in your cell phone with one-touch dialing
-- Forward your home phone calls to your wireless number if you have to
evacuate
-- Distribute wireless phone numbers to family members and friends
-- Limit non-emergency calls to conserve battery power and free-up
wireless networks for emergency agencies and operations
-- Send brief text messages rather than making voice calls for the same
reasons
-- Have additional charged batteries and car-charger adapters available
for back-up power
-- Keep phones, laptops, PDAs, batteries, chargers and other equipment in
a dry, accessible location
-- There's no need to find a WiFi hotspot with BroadbandAccess -- Verizon
Wireless' high-speed wireless broadband service gives users mobile
access to email and the Internet at broadband speeds
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and
data network, serving 70.8 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge,
N.J., with 71,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of
Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more
information, visit http://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
http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
SOURCE Verizon Wireless
Heidi Flato of Verizon Wireless, +1-925-324-8692,
Heidi.Flato@verizonwireless.com
