Verizon Wireless Broadband Wireless Network Speeds Into Columbus, Georgia
Customers in the Columbus Area Can Now Get High-Speed Wireless Internet and E-mail Services, and Download Video Clips and Songs to Handsets
COLUMBUS, Ga., Oct. 31 // -- Good news for Columbus area wireless customers who feel the need for wireless mobility, speed and flexibility.
Verizon Wireless announced today, at an event hosted at the Columbus Convention and Trade Center, that the company has rolled out its wireless broadband service across greater Columbus, giving local customers access to the latest high-speed business and entertainment services on their wireless phones, laptop computers and other wireless devices. The technology allows customers to utilize the latest high-speed business and entertainment services on their wireless phones, laptop computers and other wireless devices, with typical connection speeds of 400-700 kilobits per second (kbps). Columbus joins other Georgia cities including Atlanta, Athens, Albany, Macon/Warner Robins and Savannah in the company's coast-to-coast broadband network now covering more than half of the population nationwide.
The expansion is part of an ongoing network investment by Verizon Wireless that has totaled more than $30 billion nationally over the past six years. In Georgia and Alabama, Verizon Wireless invested more than $138 million to date in 2006 in network enhancements and expansion to stay ahead of the growing demand for its products and services in this area. With the expansion, Verizon Wireless customers in the Columbus area are able to access the company's two wireless broadband services -- BroadbandAccess and V CAST. Both services are based on the company's Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) network technology.
"This expansion is part of our continuing focus on investing in our network reliability and providing innovative high-speed data services to our customers right here in Georgia," said Jim McGean, president - Georgia/Alabama Region, Verizon Wireless. "With BroadbandAccess, Columbus mobile customers, who demand the most advanced wireless services whether it's for business or entertainment, will now be able to take their desktop experience with them, allowing them to wirelessly access their Microsoft Outlook(R) calendars, the Internet, e-mail and critical business information residing behind corporate firewalls."
BroadbandAccess
BroadbandAccess is the company's high-speed wireless broadband network geared toward mobile professionals and business customers. BroadbandAccess provides mobile workers full access to their corporate information as if they were attached to the information via a high-speed wired connection, but with the freedom of true mobility. It provides average access speeds of 400-700 kbps. The service gives customers the ability to connect to the Internet using a PC card that slides directly into most laptop computers and enables a download of a 1 Megabyte e-mail attachment (the equivalent of a small PowerPoint(R) presentation or a large PDF file) in about 20 seconds.
V CAST
The Verizon Wireless V CAST service gives customers access to short video content, downloadable music and cutting-edge 3D games on their mobile phones. With V CAST, customers can get short video content on-demand, including current news, weather, sports and entertainment programming. And music lovers with a V CAST Music-enabled phone are able to download and play their favorite songs -- all while on-the-go. The V CAST Music library contains more than 1.4 million songs. Customers can download songs directly to their phone for $1.99 and receive two copies of each song: one for the phone and one to download onto their PC. Or they can purchase songs online for 99 cents each and download a copy onto their phone via a USB cable for free. To access V CAST video content and games, customers need a V CAST-enabled phone and a $15.00 monthly subscription added to their Verizon Wireless calling plan.
Coverage
Verizon Wireless' broadband network coverage for the greater Columbus area includes the cities and immediate areas of Columbus, GA and Phenix City, AL including US 80 from Upatio, GA to Crawford, AL and US 280 from Bleeker, AL to Cussetta, GA. Customers traveling on GA 85 North to Ellerslie and along I-185 from Fortson through Fort Benning will have BroadbandAccess and V CAST coverage. Customers who travel outside a BroadbandAccess coverage area with an EV-DO device will switch seamlessly to Verizon Wireless' existing NationalAccess network in which customers experience average data transmission speeds between 60 and 80 kbps, with bursts up to 144 kbps.
Pricing
For a limited time, Verizon Wireless customers with a new or existing voice plan can receive unlimited BroadbandAccess service for $59.99 monthly access for Internet browsing, e-mail and intranet access. A new two-year customer agreement is required. For non-voice customers, BroadbandAccess is available for $79.99 monthly access with a new one- or two-year customer agreement. The company's BroadbandAccess service is also available on some laptops.
Verizon Wireless was the first national wireless provider to commercially launch a high-speed wireless broadband network in the United States.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 56.7 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: 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: Caran Smith, Verizon Wireless, +1-678-339-4891,
Caran.smith@verizonwireless.com
Web site: www.verizonwireless.com/
http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia
