Business Services Industry

Verizon Wireless Breaks Ground On $50 Million Network Facility To Enhance Wireless Call Capacity, Reliability in South Florida

Business Wire, March 20, 2008

MIAMI -- Verizon Wireless has begun construction of a high-tech $50 million switching facility in South Florida that will expand and reinforce wireless network capacity and help enhance services for customers throughout the region.

The 45,000-square-foot Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO), to be located on five acres in west Broward County, will serve as the main call-processing hub for South Florida, serving an area from Key West to Broward County. It will handle tens of millions of voice calls and wireless data transmissions (text and picture messages, downloads, emails, wireless internet connections and more) each day.

Statewide, about 1 billion voice and data transmissions and 2 billion minutes of airtime are completed on the Verizon Wireless network each month.

"This new state-of-the-art switching center will reinforce the reliability of our network and stay well ahead of the exploding demand for wireless voice and data communications in this rapidly growing region," said Pam Tope, Florida region president for Verizon Wireless.

In addition to boosting general network reliability, the new MTSO will increase capacity for advanced technologies such as the company's V CAST music and video services, and other information and entertainment applications. Since 2006, wireless data traffic has increased nearly 220 percent on the Verizon Wireless digital network as these new technologies have become popular with consumers.

The MTSO will also serve as the company's emergency operations center serving South Florida, and be home to a fleet of COWs (cell on wheels), COLTs (cell on light trucks) and GOATs (generators on trucks) for use during and after significant events like hurricanes.

The structure, designed to withstand a Category 5 hurricane, will be equipped with large-scale back-up power generation, further enhancing the everyday and emergency strength of the Verizon Wireless network.

The building is another Verizon Wireless "super switch" and is modeled after facilities completed in the last three years in Jacksonville and Orlando. In addition, Verizon Wireless earlier this year completed a $20 million enhancement and hardening of its switching facility in the Tampa Bay area.

These projects are part of an ongoing network investment in Florida topping more than $1.6 billion over the past seven years - an average of more than $500,000 every day since 2001. Nationally, the company has invested more than $44 billion in its wireless network during that time.

"A strong, reliable wireless network plays an important part in public safety in large emergencies and every day here in Florida," Tope said. "Verizon Wireless will continue to heavily invest with technology such as this new switch, and to work hard to serve residents and visitors across the state."

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 65.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 69,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, go to: 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.>