RALEIGH, N.C., April 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless has bolstered its 4G LTE data service in North Carolina's rural areas so more North Carolina residents have access to mobile broadband speeds 10 times faster than 3G. Verizon Wireless added 140 4G LTE-enabled cellular towers in North Carolina since January 2013, and 305,414 additional people are now covered by the service in cities and towns across the state, including expanded coverage in northern Sampson County and northeastern Orange County. Today, more than 87 percent of North Carolina residents are covered by Verizon's 4G LTE service.
"When Verizon started building out the 4G LTE network in North Carolina in late 2011, we made a commitment that we would include rural areas in our roll-out," said Jerry Fountain, president for Verizon Wireless's Carolinas/Tennessee region. "Today, I am pleased to share that significant portions of two counties in the Tar Heel State have access to the best wireless data speeds."
Verizon Wireless introduced the country to 4G LTE two and a half years ago, and since that time, has lead the charge by covering 89 percent of the U.S. population with the high-speed data service. The commitment to strengthen Verizon's 4G LTE coverage in rural areas is part of Verizon's plan to cover 100 percent of its 3G footprint by mid 2013.
The 4G LTE network provides lightning fast download and upload speeds for video, documents and music, as well as the fastest Internet connections for mobile hotspots and wireless routers. Verizon Wireless was the first carrier to launch 4G LTE in December 2010. The company covers nearly 275 million people in the U.S. with 4G LTE—significantly more people than its competitors.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 98.2 million retail customers, including 92.5 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. 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