4G LTE Network Advances Rapidly Across Florida; More Than 250 New Sites Activated In Florida To Enhance Coverage

TAMPA, Fla., May 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless, which operates the nation's fastest 4G wireless network, activated more than 250 new 4G LTE cell sites in Florida during the first quarter of 2013 as it speeds toward complete coverage of its most advanced network technology across the state.

The new activations – across every region of Florida -- reinforce existing 4G LTE technology for some areas, and expand the cutting-edge network into others. Most of the new 4G LTE cell sites were placed on existing structures.

Verizon 4G LTE was launched in December 2010 in numerous markets and the company is on schedule to cover its entire Florida network footprint with 4G LTE this year.  Hundreds of Florida markets large and small are covered by the high-speed service.

"This rapid build-out has given Verizon a giant advantage versus our competitors in the rollout of 4G LTE, and the biggest winners here are our customers," said Frank Wise network executive director for the Verizon Wireless Florida region. "Already, more than nine out of ten in the U.S. enjoy access to Verizon 4G LTE where they live or work."

To further enhance and strengthen 4G LTE services, Verizon plans to activate about 100 new sites in Florida each month through the end of 2013.

"These new sites will boost existing coverage and help fill in any remaining areas as we accelerate down the home stretch," Wise said.  "This technology has so many benefits we can't wait to offer it to every single Floridian -- and we're getting there quickly." 

High-speed 4G LTE enhances customer experiences in making voice calls, sending e-mails, text and picture messages, connecting to the internet and accessing tens of thousands of applications, games, video, music and many other features from their phone, tablet or other wireless device.

In real-world, fully loaded network environments, Verizon Wireless 4G LTE customers should expect to experience average data rates of 5 to12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink.  Speeds can be much higher in lab settings or when a limited number of users are on a network at a particular time and place.  

Verizon's 4G LTE and other technologies have earned numerous top rankings from independent consumer reporting organizations.

For more information on 4G LTE technology, visit a local Verizon Wireless store or go to www.verizonwireless.com/lte. 

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 98.9 million retail customers, including 93.2 million retail postpaid customers.  Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 73,000 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.  For the latest news and updates about Verizon Wireless, visit our News Center at http://news.verizonwireless.com or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/VZWNews. 

SOURCE Verizon Wireless