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Hawaii Customers Benefit From $29 Million Verizon Wireless Network Expansion in 2008

Posted on: Wednesday, 4 February 2009, 08:00 CST

Company Expands Hawaii Network Capacity to Stay Ahead of Growing Demand for Wireless Calling, Web Access, Music, Video, Navigation, Texting and More

HONOLULU, Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Across Hawaii, wireless users are making more wireless calls and data transmissions thanks to Verizon Wireless' $29 million network investment in 2008. That's an average of more than $79,000 per day spent to provide customers in Hawaii with the reliable, high-quality service they expect from Verizon Wireless.

The company's ongoing network investment now totals more than $186 million since 2000 in Hawaii and $50 billion nationally over the past eight years. The 2008 enhancements significantly increase the number of calls and data transmissions the Verizon Wireless network can handle for its customers in Honolulu and throughout the islands.

"Our customers want to stay connected -- to work, family, friends and the other things they enjoy. They're texting, handling e-mail, downloading music, visiting Web sites, sharing pictures and videos, and making calls. That's why we built the nation's largest and most reliable wireless network, and why we will continue to invest to make it better," said Kelley Kurtzman, Pacific Northwest regional president, Verizon Wireless.

The network investment in Hawaii includes adding seven new cell sites, updating and adding capacity to many others, and further improving backup power capabilities to improve network reliability and add new services. The seven new cell site locations are:

• Volcano Estates, Hawaii
• Nuuanu Pali, Oahu
• Laupahoehoe, Hawaii
• Puna, Hawaii
• Puhi Road, Kauai
• Iriquois Point, Oahu
• Wailua Homestead, Kauai

The multi-million dollar enhancement also includes completion of the company's 3G high-speed wireless network throughout Hawaii, allowing customers to access advanced wireless services including Web access, music and video at even faster broadband speeds.

This upgrade provides high-speed access to advanced services such as V CAST -- which allows customers to stream video clips, play cutting-edge 3D games and download full-song music tracks over-the-air; and the latest version of VZ Navigator(SM) -- a location-based service offering maps, audible driving directions, traffic updates, gas station locations and pricing.

The advanced 3G technology also allows customers to wirelessly access their e-mail and calendars, the Internet and other information anytime via a secure connection with the company's Mobile Broadband service. Mobile Broadband customers with Rev. A-compatible devices can expect average download speeds of 600 kilobits per second (kbps) to 1.4 megabits per second and average upload speeds of 500-800 kbps, which means customers can download a small PowerPoint(R) presentation or a large PDF file at faster speeds than before.

Strong demand for Verizon Wireless services continued during the fourth quarter of 2008 as the company added 1.4 million net new customers.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and data network, serving more than 80 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 85,000 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

Source: PR Newswire

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