Verizon Wireless Fosters Global LTE Ecosystem a...

BARCELONA, Spain, and BASKING RIDGE, New Jersey, February 18 /PRNewswire/ --

- New LTE Innovation Center Will Foster Wireless Growth

    In a move that will jump-start deployment of 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE)
networks globally, Dick Lynch, Verizon executive vice president and chief
technology officer, detailed plans to build America's first next-generation
Long Term Evolution (LTE) network during his keynote remarks at Mobile World
Congress in Barcelona today.



    Lynch announced that Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Verizon
Communications and Vodafone, has selected Ericsson and Alcatel-Lucent as
primary network vendors for its initial LTE network deployments in the United
States. Verizon's announcement comes on the heels of industry-leading LTE
network trials in the United States and Europe, carried out in conjunction
with Vodafone. These two vendors are expected to build the underlying
infrastructure that will enable Verizon Wireless to become the first wireless
company to offer commercial LTE-based service in the United States, starting
in 2010.



    Lynch said, "Verizon Wireless' LTE network deployment will be driven by
our vision of providing ubiquitous global wireless broadband connectivity and
mobility. LTE enables us to continue to meet business customer demands for a
higher bandwidth, low latency service that works broadly in the United States
and globally, while helping us to meet consumer demand for mobilizing the
many applications they frequently use when tethered to high bandwidth wired
networks."



    "Verizon Wireless' deployment of LTE sets a unified direction in enabling
true, global wireless broadband and Ericsson is proud to be a part of this
historic occasion," said Carl-Henric Svanberg, president and chief executive
officer, Ericsson. "We are not only providing Verizon Wireless with a
complete LTE solution, we are also committing our global leadership in
technology and standardization to help Verizon realize the promise of LTE
during 2010. We look forward to a continued co-operation in the successful
commercialization of LTE, which will enable a new, enhanced mobile broadband
experience for consumers and enterprises throughout the United States."



    "Verizon Wireless' ground-breaking move toward LTE underscores its
commitment to accelerating and stimulating an environment that will offer its
customers greater capacity and new services in more areas than ever before,"
said Ben Verwaayen, chief executive officer of Alcatel-Lucent. "With LTE's
bandwidth and its ability to co-exist with the current 3G platform, we look
forward to partnering with Verizon Wireless to build the next-generation
foundation that will economically enable new forms of communications using
both fixed and wireless, as well as mobile broadband."



    Verizon Wireless also announced that in addition to Ericsson and
Alcatel-Lucent, Starent Networks has been selected as a packet core vendor.



    In addition, Verizon announced that Nokia Siemens Networks and
Alcatel-Lucent have been selected as key suppliers for the IP Multi-Media
Subsystem (IMS) network, which will enable rich multimedia applications
regardless of access technology. IMS will be a cornerstone technology in the
evolution of Verizon's services infrastructure. Verizon plans to offer
IMS-based IP converged applications and services on its wireless and landline
broadband networks. LTE will be one of the key wireless access networks
linked to the IMS technology.



    Lynch said building and offering commercial services over Verizon
Wireless' LTE network, while also expanding its FiOS fiber network, is a
consistent and complimentary strategy focused on a committed future in
broadband. As has been previously reported, Verizon's total capital
expenditures totaled roughly $17 billion USD in 2008. Lynch noted that LTE
network costs would be within the company's overall program as spending
shifts from older technologies to new strategic initiatives, such as LTE. The
company expects to maintain commercial service on its 3G service well into
the next decade.



    "Vodafone is pleased to endorse Verizon Wireless' decision to select
these vendors as part of their LTE deployment plans in the United States,"
said Steve Pusey, global chief technology officer for Vodafone. "As well as
supporting these plans for the United States market, Vodafone continues to
work in close cooperation with Verizon Wireless on a range of initiatives
designed to drive the commercial development of LTE, including an extensive
program of trials."



4G/LTE Innovation Center

    Lynch also announced that Verizon Wireless expects to foster creative
solutions connecting people, places and things wirelessly on its LTE network
by creating the Verizon LTE Innovation Center, which will be based in the
suburban Boston community of Waltham, Mass. With support from founding
partners Ericsson and Alcatel-Lucent, Lynch said the mission of the
Innovation Center is to be the catalyst for early development of
non-traditional products for use on LTE networks. A number of companies have
already expressed interest in the Center, which will be solely focused on
helping Verizon Wireless technology partners quickly develop and bring to
market new and innovative LTE-based solutions within the consumer
electronics, machine-to-machine, and business products segments.



Trials and Deployment

    Utilizing their existing spectrum, Verizon Wireless and Vodafone have
been field testing 4G LTE networks in Minneapolis, Columbus, Ohio, and
Northern New Jersey in the United States, as well as in Budapest, Dusseldorf,
and Madrid in Europe, with a variety of network infrastructure providers.
These field trials have demonstrated download rates of 50 to 60 Mbps peak
speeds, though actual average download results will not be determined until
the commercial launch of the new Verizon Wireless LTE network. Utilizing its
recently acquired 700 MHz spectrum, Verizon Wireless will expand trials this
summer, and Lynch said the company will commercially launch its LTE network
in 2010. Once the initial rollout is complete, plans are in place for
aggressive deployment throughout Verizon Wireless' entire network, including
areas not currently covered by the existing Verizon Wireless footprint.



    By leveraging its 700 MHz spectrum for LTE deployment, Verizon Wireless
is capable of quickly deploying a high-quality wireless broadband network
with excellent coverage and in-building penetration, all at a cost structure
significantly below current levels. Verizon Wireless and Vodafone, together
with a broad group of LTE ecosystem suppliers -- infrastructure, device and
technology companies -- have advanced the technology that will deliver
unprecedented wireless broadband service for high performance mobile
computing, multimedia, and consumer electronic devices and applications.



LTE's Promise

    Advanced LTE-based wireless networks will support incredible new
applications that businesses and consumers can only access today through
high-speed wireline networks. In addition to simply faster e-mail and
Internet access and better quality video services, wireless users will be
able to take applications they are accustomed to using at home or in the
office into the mobile world; roaming on other global LTE networks will
provide portability to take those applications virtually anywhere on the
planet. LTE also offers the possibility of providing coverage in some rural
areas not currently served by wireless broadband. Most importantly, a
wide-area wireless LTE network will be able to connect a full range of
consumer electronics devices and machines to each other -- the holy grail of
true wireless interconnectivity.



    Lynch noted, "The appetite for new and innovative broadband services is
insatiable: People want new and customized content, relevant information and
services, and increased opportunities to communicate with each other and the
world around them. With the promise of more advanced devices and
applications, Verizon is ready to lead the way in harnessing the power of
LTE, at the onset of the LTE revolution."



    Today's LTE announcement builds on Verizon Wireless' technology
leadership. Verizon Wireless was the first company to broadly commercially
deploy high-speed wireless broadband service in the United States -- a
wireless broadband network based on CDMA Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO)
technology that covers approximately 274 million people from coast to coast.
The company's drive and dedication to innovation and leadership are
demonstrated by its introduction of new multimedia devices and services, its
pro-customer position on industry issues such as wireless spam and privacy,
and its industry-leading open development program.



    For more information on products and services from Verizon Wireless,
visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or visit
www.verizonwireless.com.



About Verizon Wireless

    Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless
voice and data network, serving more than 80 million customers. Headquartered
in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon
Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone
(NYSE and LSE: 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.