Wireless Broadband Arrives in Tennessee
Memphis to Receive Verizon Wireless' BroadbandAccess(sm) Wireless Internet Service and V Cast(sm) Consumer Multimedia Service
MEMPHIS, Tenn., Dec. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Building on a successful strategy to provide customers superior wireless services in the United States, Verizon Wireless Region President Jerry Fountain today announced the launch of two award-winning services in the Memphis metropolitan area, one developed for the consumer market, the other primarily for business customers. BroadbandAccess(sm) -- the only national wide-area wireless broadband Internet access service available in the United States -- and V CAST(sm), the nation's first and only wireless broadband multimedia service for consumers, are both available today in Memphis. Both services run on the company's high-speed EV- DO (Evolution Data-Optimized) wireless broadband network, the nation's largest and fastest wireless broadband network.
In the greater Memphis area, Verizon Wireless' EV-DO coverage area includes Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Cordova, Germantown, Horn Lake, Kerrville, Lakeland, Millington, Olive Branch, Rosemark, Southaven and West Memphis.
Jerry Fountain, Carolinas/Tennessee regional president for Verizon Wireless, said: "BroadbandAccess provides mobile workers in Memphis and throughout the nation with access to the best in wireless networks, which takes mobility to a whole new level. Verizon Wireless' EV-DO network is the only national wide-area wireless broadband network in the country, giving BroadbandAccess customers a superior wireless data experience while away from the office and full access to their corporate information, just as if they were attached via a high-speed wired connection, but with the freedom of true mobility. And with V CAST, consumers can access the latest in multimedia programming to stay connected, informed and entertained via their wireless phones."
BroadbandAccess
The company's highly touted BroadbandAccess service, available to mobile professionals and enterprise customers, allows customers in the Memphis metropolitan area to connect wirelessly to the Internet via their laptop at broadband speeds, a convenient way to conduct business. The nation's largest and fastest wireless broadband service, BroadbandAccess allows customers to download a 1 Megabyte email attachment (for example, a small PowerPoint presentation or a large PDF file), or receive three digital pictures (each 400 x 600 pixels) in less than 20 seconds. Because EV-DO technology is backward compatible -- a distinct advantage to the company's CDMA technology -- customers who travel outside a BroadbandAccess coverage area with an EV-DO device will seamlessly switch to Verizon Wireless' existing NationalAccess(sm) service, which runs on the company's 1xRTT network.
Working with virtual private network (VPN) connections, business customers can use BroadbandAccess as an extension of their corporate local area network (LAN) or intranet, allowing them to work from any location within the BroadbandAccess coverage area, as if they were in the office. BroadbandAccess, with typical user download speeds of 400-700 kilobits per second (kbps), is ideal for downloading files and business-critical information residing behind corporate firewalls and for accessing e-mail, intranets and the Internet. BroadbandAccess' EV-DO technology has its own data protection and authentication and is designed to work with a business' existing IT infrastructure and security solutions.
Verizon Wireless offers current and new customers unlimited BroadbandAccess for $59.99 monthly access with a two-year customer agreement and any voice plan. For non-voice customers, BroadbandAccess is available for $79.99 monthly access for unlimited use with a one- or two-year customer agreement. The new pricing for voice customers on BroadbandAccess is available through December 31, 2005. For more information on BroadbandAccess from Verizon Wireless, visit www.verizonwireless.com/broadbandaccess.
V CAST
Verizon Wireless' V CAST service enables consumers to access short video content on-demand, viewing current news, weather, sports and entertainment programming. With V CAST, customers can also download and play cutting-edge 3D games, watch music videos and concert performances from favorite artists, view short programs specifically designed for mobile phones and other video content right on their phones. For a list of all videos and 3D game entertainment available on V CAST, visit http://getvcast.com/.
"With V CAST, consumers can access the latest in multimedia programming to stay connected, informed and entertained via their wireless phones," added Fountain. "This ground-breaking technology provides clear video images of the most interesting content available -- all on your wireless phone."
For $15.00 monthly access added to their Verizon Wireless calling plan, customers in Memphis can get the V CAST VPak which includes unlimited access to a wide array of more than 300 daily updated video clips from leading news, sports, weather and entertainment content providers. Unlimited basic short content is included, but application download fees apply for 3D games, premium video short content, and all other Get It Now® applications. There are no airtime charges to download, stream or watch V CAST content. Customers can also download, stream or watch premium short video content, available at additional cost, which includes video such as music videos, select sports clips and mobisodes. Verizon Wireless V CAST customers also receive monthly access and unlimited browsing on Verizon Wireless' Mobile Web 2.0(SM) news and information service. For a limited time, customers who sign up for V CAST receive one month of service free.
EV-DO Network
BroadbandAccess and V CAST run on Verizon Wireless' EV-DO network, which began commercial operation in October 2003 in San Diego and Washington, D.C. and is now the only national wide-area wireless broadband network in the country. Lucent Technologies is providing the infrastructure for the new Verizon Wireless network. Lucent's CDMA2000® 1xEV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized) technology supports mobile data services at speeds of up to 2.4 Megabits per second (Mbps). Verizon Wireless' EV-DO network initially made its commercial debut with BroadbandAccess wireless Internet access service for business customers and mobile professionals. The company launched its V CAST wireless broadband multimedia service in February 2005.
Verizon Wireless has expanded the EV-DO coverage area -- the V CAST and BroadbandAccess service areas -- several times already this year, and the network now covers 171 major metropolitan areas and 68 airports across the country. The company's expansion strategy includes adding new markets and expanding network coverage in existing markets.
Verizon Wireless has invested more than $4 billion annually on the build- out and enhancement of its networks since the company's inception in 2000, and last year alone it invested $5 billion, including build-out of the wireless broadband EV-DO network. In Tennessee, Verizon Wireless invested more than $80 million in network enhancements in 2004 and projects to spend more than $150 million on the state's network this year.
V CAST and BroadbandAccess Accolades
In May 2005, CMP Media LLC's Network Computing named Verizon Wireless as the Best Business Data Service for BroadbandAccess in the publication's 2005 Well-Connected Awards, beating out business data services of two other major wireless carriers.
LAPTOP Magazine awarded Verizon Wireless' BroadbandAccess service with the Editor's Choice Award in its December 2004 issue. According to the articled titled, "Be Your Own Hot Spot," BroadbandAccess is the only wide-area broadband service "that lives up to the hype." Reviewers concluded, "In short, Verizon Wireless' BroadbandAccess service lives up to its name. If you live or work in one of the current coverage areas, you'll be rewarded with a high- speed connection that's perfect for those of us with little patience. Which is just about every mobile worker we know."
The company's V CAST consumer multimedia service has received recognition as well. Within weeks of the initial launch, Verizon Wireless' V CAST service won best "Mobile/Remote Service" at the fifth annual MobileFocus Awards, which were presented at CTIA in New Orleans and sponsored by Pepcom and LAPTOP magazine. The awards honor the best in mobile and wireless technology.
BroadbandAccess PC Cards and V CAST Phones
Verizon Wireless offers several PC Cards for BroadbandAccess customers, including the Verizon Wireless PC 5740, Kyocera KPC-650 and Novatel V620 cards.
Customers can access V CAST on seven hot new phones. The featured phone is the new LG VX9800 phone -- with its QWERTY keyboard, full-motion short content with audio streaming and downloading and playback capabilities, the LG VX9800 offers customers a rich and rewarding interactive experience. The LG VX9800 is available for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a two-year customer agreement. V CAST customers can also check out the latest in news, entertainment and sports on the LG VX8100, Samsung SCH-a950, Samsung SCH-a970, Motorola RAZR, Motorola E815, which is $149.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a two-year customer agreement and the CDM8940 for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a two-year customer agreement.
For more information on V CAST or BroadbandAccess from Verizon Wireless, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com/. Business customers can contact a Verizon Wireless Business Sales Representative directly at 1-800-VZW-4-BIZ.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 49.3 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE: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.
Source: Verizon Wireless
CONTACT: Carly Culbertson of Verizon Wireless, +1-864-987-2006, or Carolyn.culbertson@VerizonWireless.com; or Ansley Welchel of JDPR,
+1-864-233-3776, ext. 12, or ansleyw@jdpr.com
Web site: www.verizonwireless.com/ www.verizonwireless.com/broadbandaccess
http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia
http://getvcast.com/
