MONTGOMERY, Ala., June 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless announced today that the company's 4G LTE network is now substantially complete in Alabama just two years after first launching in Montgomery and Mobile. Verizon's 4G LTE network now represents the vast majority of the company's 3G footprint that provides coverage across tens of thousands of square miles in Alabama, from Muscle Shoals to Mobile. Nationally, Verizon's 4G LTE network is currently available in 497 markets covering 287 million people.
Verizon's 4G LTE buildout in Alabama represents a significant and ongoing investment in the state. Since 2010, the company has invested more than $340 million on its network in the state, with a substantial portion of that supporting its 4G LTE rollout; Verizon's ongoing network investment in Alabama now totals more than $900 million since the company was formed in 2000.
To celebrate this network milestone, Verizon today announced "4Gs," or four grants, to Alabama organizations:
- A $10,000 Verizon Foundation grant to the Governor's Emergency Relief Fund recognizing Verizon's ongoing commitment to tornado recovery in the state;
- A $10,000 Verizon Foundation grant to Ready Alabama's Be Ready Camp to help inspire the next generation of first responders;
- A $30,000 HopeLine grant to the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence in honor of HopeLine Hero First Lady Dianne Bentley;
- A $50,000 Request for Proposals from the Verizon Foundation seeking grant proposals from organizations offering domestic violence prevention programming.
"Verizon has shown itself to be a good corporate citizen by supporting our long-term tornado recovery efforts and our ongoing natural disaster preparedness efforts through Serve Alabama," said Alabama Governor Robert Bentley. "Verizon is also working to help victims of domestic violence by connecting them with valuable resources. I appreciate Verizon's continued support for the people of Alabama."
"We were the first wireless provider to introduce 4G LTE to Alabama just two years ago, and now more than four million Alabamians have access to our blazing fast network, which reaches beyond the state's major cities into rural Alabama," said Jonathan LeCompte, president – Georgia/Alabama region, Verizon Wireless. "With a wireless network that offers speeds comparable to broadband cable Internet, our customers are discovering how 4G LTE revolutionizes the way we communicate."
The numbers show that Alabama consumers and businesses are taking advantage of Verizon's 4G LTE network: data traffic on the network increased nearly 325 percent from 2012 to 2013 in Alabama. Nationally, more than 50 percent of Verizon Wireless' data traffic is now carried over the 4G LTE network, demonstrating dramatic adoption of the new technology.
While smartphones and tablets account for a large portion of the 4G LTE data usage, Verizon's 4G LTE network is increasingly being used for machine-to-machine connectivity in industries such as healthcare, transportation and logistics as well as for providing broadband solutions in rural areas and on-the-go through technology such as mobile hotspots, 4G LTE routers, and HomeFusion from Verizon.
Today's "4Gs" grant announcements bring the company's total community contributions to more than $900,000 since 2010. The majority of those dollars have gone to support tornado relief, emergency preparedness and domestic violence awareness and prevention efforts. In addition to the company's network and community investment, Verizon Wireless employs more than 1,200 people in Alabama, including at Verizon's state headquarters in Huntsville, and operates 24 company-owned retail locations across the state, with a 25th location opening in Madison in August.
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