Verizon cell service restored in Colorado flood-ravaged areas

DENVER, Sept. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- 

Network Status:
Verizon Wireless took to the air and ground to deliver repair crews and equipment to cell sites inaccessible by flooded or washed out roadways. A temporary cell site on wheels (known as a COW) is now on the air in Lyons, Colorado, restoring cell service while permanent facilities are repaired.

Meanwhile, Verizon crews used a helicopter to reach flood damaged facilities in Estes Park to fully restore service by Saturday evening.  Microwave transmission facilities were installed to carry voice and data traffic from area cell sites to the company's switching center, bypassing miles of damaged fiber lines.

Verizon Wireless service status by community as of Sunday morning:

• Estes Park – Equipment and crews airlifted in; full service restored
• Lyons – Temporary cell site activated; full service restoral pending
• Boulder – Two sites previously lost commercial power; full service restored
• Longmont -- No cell sites out of service
• Greeley and Fort Collins – No cell sites out of service
• Thayne, WY – Full service restored

Community Support:
The Verizon Foundation approved a $20,000 disaster relief grant to the American Red Cross to support the agency's relief efforts for flood victims. The grant will help Coloradoans affected by the devastating flood waters in the state.

The company also activated its mobile giving program so Verizon customers can use their mobile phones to donate to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief fund.

Customers simply text the word REDCROSS from their mobile phone to the organization's designated 90999 short code to make a $10 donation. For more information click http://news.verizonwireless.com/news/2013/09/colorado-floods-text-to-donate-campaign.html

Emergency Response:
On Saturday, September 14, the Verizon Wireless Crisis Response Team responded to a request from local Boulder authorities for additional cell phones and data devices. Activated phones and wireless network data routers were delivered to the county's Incident Command Post for use by emergency personnel.

Reliability:
Network teams are working around the clock to maintain or restore service in affected areas. Verizon Wireless' industry-leading network redundancy and maintenance practices have proven especially valuable to first responders during natural disasters and emergencies across the country.  Standard Verizon Wireless network-reliability features include battery back-up at virtually all facilities as well as generators at switching centers and many cell site locations to operate the network when commercial power is unavailable.

Network Investment:
Verizon Wireless invested more than $100 million in its Colorado network last year. The company's ongoing network investment now totals more than $1.26 billion in Colorado and $80 billion nationally since it was formed in 2000.

SOURCE Verizon Wireless