MANSFIELD, Ohio, Nov. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless today has expanded the national rollout of its Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) third generation (3G) wide-area network to portions of Richland and Ashland counties including Mansfield, Ashland, Charlesmill, Ontario, Springmill and Wooster Heights.
The launch of the wireless broadband network means Verizon Wireless customers in the Mansfield area can access the company's high-speed business and consumer network and enjoy two prime services. BroadbandAccess is the company's high-speed wireless service, with average user speeds of 400-700 kilobits per second (kbps), geared toward mobile professionals and business customers. V CAST is a consumer-oriented multimedia service that offers music and short content on demand, including cutting-edge 3D games, music videos, news, weather, sports and more.
The network expansion will equip Verizon Wireless' business customers to experience a truly untethered mobile office experience, enabling them to wirelessly access their calendars, the Internet, e-mail and critical business information residing behind their companies' firewalls. With the added benefit of V CAST, consumers also now have access to the most comprehensive selection of downloadable music, high-quality videos and the coolest 3D games found anywhere.
BroadbandAccess
BroadbandAccess provides mobile workers full access to their corporate information as if they were attached to the information via a high-speed wired connection, but with the freedom of true mobility. Developed with a range of users in mind, the service enables large enterprises, small to medium-sized businesses and mobile professionals to conduct business anytime, anywhere in the BroadbandAccess coverage area via a secure, true high-speed data connection.
Business customers can access information when they are on the road -- at customer locations, at job sites or in hotels -- with BroadbandAccess. Customers can download a 1 Megabyte e-mail attachment (for example, a small PowerPoint(R) presentation or large PDF file) or receive three digital pictures (each 400 x 600 pixels) in less than 20 seconds. Also, customers who travel outside the BroadbandAccess coverage area with an EV-DO device will switch seamlessly to Verizon Wireless' existing NationalAccess network, in which customers experience average data transmission speeds between 60 and 80 kbps with bursts up to 144 kbps.
"Our BroadbandAccess service gives our enterprise customers three key advantages in wireless communication -- speed, mobility and security," said Roger Tang, president -- Ohio/Pennsylvania Region, Verizon Wireless. "With these advantages comes an increase in productivity and bottom-line business benefits."
V CAST
The company's high-speed network also enables its V CAST multimedia services, offering customers the ability to download full song tracks, play cutting-edge 3D games and stream video clips straight to the handset with top transmission speeds. With content updated daily, customers can watch dozens of broadcasts including breaking news, weather, sports highlights, the hottest entertainment clips and more.
V CAST Music, available to customers with V CAST Music-enabled handsets, is the world's most comprehensive, over-the-air mobile music service. Customers with V CAST Music can download song tracks directly to their Verizon Wireless handsets or to PCs equipped with Windows(R) XP operating software. The V CAST Music on demand service includes access to a catalog of more than 1.5 million songs.
Coverage
In the Mansfield area, Verizon Wireless' BroadbandAccess and V CAST service coverage spans approximately 228 square miles and covers major routes surrounding the area, including Interstate 71 from County Highway 139 northeast to State Route 302, U.S. Highway 30 from State Route 314 east to State Highway 511, U.S. Highway 42 from State Highway 546 northeast to Township Road 753, State Route 39 south from Taylortown to State Route 309, and State Route 13 from County Road 90 south to County Highway 139.
"Mansfield and the surrounding communities are vital markets with tech- savvy businesses and consumers," Tang said. "The launch of our broadband network here provides our customers access to the very latest wireless technology."
The multi-million dollar expansion entailed installing high-tech wireless hardware and software in wireless transmission sites throughout the region. It is part of an ongoing network investment by Verizon Wireless that has totaled $35 billion nationally over the past seven years. More than $140 million of this investment was spent in Ohio in the first three quarters of 2006.
Verizon Wireless was the first national wireless provider to commercially launch a high-speed wireless broadband network in the United States. The Mansfield market is the latest to be added to Verizon Wireless' EV-DO network coverage area. Verizon Wireless' broadband network was introduced in Ohio in Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton in January 2005.
Product Offering
BroadbandAccess is available for $79.99 monthly access with a new one- or two-year customer agreement. For a limited time, Verizon Wireless customers with an existing voice plan can receive unlimited BroadbandAccess service for $59.99 monthly access. A new two-year customer agreement is required. BroadbandAccess service also is available as an integrated option on select notebook computers, including laptops from Dell, Lenovo, HP and Toshiba.
Wireless PC cards for BroadbandAccess customers include the Verizon Wireless PC 5740, Verizon Wireless V620 and Kyocera KPC 650. A new Novatel Wireless V640 card is available for laptop owners with ExpressCard/34 or ExpressCard/54 slots rather than with a traditional PCMCIA slot.
In addition, several handsets have the ability to "tether" to a laptop's USB port with an optional Mobile Office Kit. BroadbandAccess-powered PDAs offered by Verizon Wireless include the Motorola Q(TM), the Palm(R) Treo(TM) 700w and the Palm Treo 700p. Popular BlackBerry(R) options include the new 8703e, the 7250 and 7130e.
To access V CAST Music, video and games, customers need a V CAST-enabled handset and must be on a Verizon Wireless calling plan. Currently, nearly 20 music-capable handsets are available, including the popular Chocolate by LG, the Motorola RAZR V3m and MOTOKRZR K1m.
Customers with a V CAST Music-enabled handset and a calling plan can pay as they go to download songs directly onto their phone for $1.99 per song plus airtime, download songs to their PC for as little as 99 cents, and transfer their existing compatible digital music collection to their V CAST Music- enabled handset or memory card for free from their PC. Purchases from the handset include two copies of every song -- one for the handset, one for the PC.
For more information, about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a local Verizon Wireless Communications Store or go to http://www.verizonwireless.com/.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 57 million customers. The largest US wireless company and largest wireless data provider, based on revenues, Verizon Wireless is headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 60,000 employees nationwide. The company is a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at http://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 http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
