Verizon Wireless has the largest mobile network in America.
Noel Hendrickson/Digital Vision/Getty Images
Verizon Wireless is a joint business venture between British mobile network operator Vodafone and U.S. telecommunications firm Verizon Communications. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. Verizon Wireless, as of June 2011, has the country's largest mobile telecommunications network.
Company Facts
Verizon Wireless reported 104 million subscribers in Quarter 1 of 2011. The secondlargest carrier in the country, AT&T Mobility, reported 97.5 million. Verizon Wireless had 2,330 stores and kiosks in 2010, according to Stores.org. More than 85,000 employees currently work for the company. Verizon Wireless has regional headquarters in the following locations: Morristown, New Jersey (Northeast), Alpharetta, Georgia (South), Schaumburg, Illinois (Midwest) and Irvine, California (West).
Mobile Broadband
Verizon Wireless was the first telecommunications company to create a national wireless broadband network. Mobile Broadband was launched in October 2003, offering customers wireless Internet on their phones at broadband speeds. Verizon Wireless began offering its customers 3G service in February 2007. This technological innovation allowed users to access the Internet on their phones at speeds eight to nine times faster than before. The company's 3G network is available to 293 million people in America. Verizon Wireless' 4G network was launched in December 2010 and was immediately available to over 110 million people. With average data rates of 5-12 megabits per second, the 4G network is up to 10 times faster than the 3G network.
Reliability
Industry-leading maintenance and redundancy measures ensure the reliability of Verizon Wireless' network. Battery back-up power is available at all Verizon Wireless facilities. Portable generators provide emergency power to cell site locations during extended power outages. Two network operations centers (located in New Jersey and Texas) monitor cell sites and switches 24 hours a day.
Exclusive Apps
Only Verizon Wireless customers have access to the following application software: NFL Mobile, Skype Mobile, V CAST Video on Demand, VZ Navigator and V CAST Media Manager. NFL Mobile provides football fans with headlines and scores, including live audio broadcasts of their favorite teams. Skype Mobile allows Verizon Wireless customers to make unlimited Skype-to-Skype calls (while in the United States) to anywhere in the world. V CAST Video on Demand allows users to access news, sports and popular television shows whenever they want. VZ Navigator is a mobile navigation device, complete with audio and visual route directions. V CAST Media Manager allows users to play video and music files on their phone.
References
Photo Credits
- Noel Hendrickson/Digital Vision/Getty Images
