Verizon Wireless Completes South Florida 'Super Switch'

MIAMI, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless, which operates the nation's most reliable and largest voice and 3G data network, has completed construction of a $50 million high-tech "super switch" in South Florida to further strengthen wireless coverage and advanced services for customers throughout the region.

The 45,000-square-foot Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO) will serve as the company's main call-processing hub for South Florida, serving an area from Key West and continuing through all of Miami-Dade and Broward counties.  The MTSO is located on five acres in west Broward County.

With a comprehensive array of the most advanced wireless network technologies, the facility has the capacity to handle each day tens of millions of voice calls and wireless data transmissions, such as texts, photo and video messages; downloads of games, music and other applications; uploads to social media sites; web surfing, and more.

With construction complete, technicians are currently conducting final tests for the network "cutover" of these wireless transmissions.  The cutover – in which wireless traffic will be transferred to the new switch from existing Verizon Wireless facilities – is scheduled for early March.  

"Our network teams have been working extremely long and hard on this giant jewel of wireless network technology," said Frank Wise, Florida executive network director. "This is a big moment for our technicians and a great moment for wireless customers in South Florida."

Verizon Wireless began construction on the project in late 2008, borrowing and enhancing design elements from large modern "super" switching facilities completed in Jacksonville and Orlando in 2004 and 2005, respectively.

The building was designed to accommodate large-scale expansion as needed, and to withstand a Category 5 hurricane.  The structure includes fully redundant back-up power generation, further enhancing the emergency and everyday reliability of the Verizon Wireless network.  The switch will serve as the company's Emergency Operations Center for South Florida in the event of a hurricane or other crisis.

"South Florida is one of the most dynamic and demanding markets in the nation, with millions of highly mobile tech-savvy customers squeezed along a coast," said Pam Tope, Florida region president for Verizon Wireless. "We built this switch to ensure our customers have the most reliable, advanced coverage and services today, and for decades to come."

The project is a key component of the company's overall effort and investment to maintain the largest and most reliable 3G network in the state.  In the past year, the company has spent $240 million in Florida on network enhancements.

This year, Verizon Wireless plans to launch its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless services in 25 to 30 markets nationally. LTE will offer customers significantly greater network capacity than even today's most advanced 3G coverage.  The new South Florida switch is equipped and will play a key role in the coming rollout of 4G LTE technology in this region.

For more information on the Verizon Wireless network, products and services, visit www.verizonwireless.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 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (Nasdaq 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