Company's Network Easily Delivers More than 4 Million Additional Data Transmissions in Downtown Saint Paul SAINT PAUL, Minn., Sept. 5
SAINT PAUL, Minn., Sept. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The votes are in and the
results show that the 45,000 Republican National Convention (RNC) attendees,
media representatives and delegates used wireless devices to access the
Internet and to send and deliver e-mail and picture and video messages in
record numbers in the downtown Saint Paul area this week. The Verizon Wireless
cell site at the Xcel Energy Center and those cell sites in the surrounding
downtown area of Saint Paul completed more than 4 million additional data
transmissions, an increase of more than 245 percent, during the five days of
the convention week than during a normal week. These same cell sites also
carried 1.8 million additional voice calls, 82 percent more than a normal
week.
"It's clear that wireless devices are an essential communications tool for
convention-goers, and our network was ready," said Nancy B. Clark, president
-- Great Plains region, Verizon Wireless. "Our customers in downtown Saint
Paul shared the convention week's historical events by text, e-mail, picture
and video messaging and on the Internet over our high-speed network. This
usage reflects a trend for communicating by data as well as voice calls."
Verizon Wireless invested $6.4 million in network improvements for the
RNC, including deploying four portable cell sites in high-demand locations and
adding in-building cell sites at the Xcel Energy Center and the Minneapolis
Convention Center. The company has invested more than $45 billion since it was
formed -- more than $5.5 billion on average every year -- to increase the
coverage and capacity of its national network and to add new services. Through
mid-year 2008, more than $475 million has been invested on network
improvements in Minnesota since 2001.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and
data network, serving 68.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge,
N.J., with 70,000 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.
SOURCE Verizon Wireless
