DukeNet Helps Verizon Wireless Build First 4G LTE Network in United States by Providing High-Speed Backhaul Services in the Southeast

LAS VEGAS, CHARLOTTE, N.C., and BASKING RIDGE, N.J., March 24 /PRNewswire/ -- From CTIA WIRELESS 2010®, DukeNet Communications and Verizon Wireless announced today that DukeNet's high-speed cell backhaul service is being used by Verizon Wireless to build the nation's first 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network.

DukeNet's cell backhaul service provides scalable, reliable bandwidth between cell sites and mobile switching centers in the southeast.  It also supports Ethernet data transmissions -- a key requirement of Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE rollout.  The DukeNet cell backhaul solution provides a platform on which Verizon Wireless can ramp up its network capacity, as needed, to support increasing demand for its mobile services and applications.

"As a long-time transport provider for Verizon Wireless, DukeNet is excited to be deploying cell site backhaul infrastructure that supports Verizon Wireless' rollout of next-generation mobile services," said Brad Davis, president of DukeNet Communications.

Nicola Palmer, Verizon Wireless network vice president, said, "We are pleased that DukeNet is working hard to ensure that Verizon Wireless customers in the Southeast will benefit from great backhaul capabilities. By paying attention to this kind of detail today, our customers will get the reliable capabilities they want tomorrow."

Verizon Wireless' LTE rollout plan positions the company as a global leader in 4G LTE deployment, and it is on track to deliver the nation's first 4G LTE network to customers in 25 to 30 markets, covering roughly 100 million people by year's end.  Verizon Wireless has been conducting trials in Boston and Seattle since August 2009 that have indicated that the network is capable of peak download speeds of 40 to 50 megabits per second (Mbps), peak upload speeds of 20 to 25 Mbps, and average data rates of 5 to 12 Mbps on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink in real-world environments.  The speeds are significantly faster than Verizon Wireless and other wireless providers' current or promised 3G network speeds.  

By leveraging its 700 MHz spectrum for LTE deployment in the United States, Verizon Wireless is capable of quickly deploying a high-quality wireless broadband network with excellent coverage and in-building penetration.  Verizon Wireless is currently installing LTE equipment at existing cell sites and switching centers around the United States as part of its extensive, ongoing investment in its voice and data network infrastructure.

Visit www.verizonwireless.com/lte for more information about Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network.  For more information about DukeNet, visit www.dukenet.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 91 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: 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.

About DukeNet Communications

DukeNet Communications is the telecommunications arm of Duke Energy. DukeNet develops and manages fiber optic communications systems in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia. DukeNet controls more than 4,300 miles of fiber optic network and offers a wide range of solutions for data, voice and video needs. Duke Energy, DukeNet's parent company, is one of the largest electric power holding companies in the U.S. Its regulated utility operations serve approximately 4 million customers in five states in the Southeast and Midwest, representing a population of approximately 11 million people. Its commercial power and international business segments own and operate diverse power generation assets in North America and Latin America, including a growing portfolio of renewable energy assets in the U.S. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 500 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available on the Internet at: www.duke-energy.com.

SOURCE Verizon Wireless