Verizon (News - Alert) Wireless announced on Monday that it invested nearly $195 million to enhance its operations in Michigan during 2006. The mobile operator reportedly used this amount to fund the development of 175 new cell sites, equipment upgrades, the expansion of its high-speed wireless network, and the improvement of its new network facility system.
The new activated cell sites are said to now allow more subscribers to concurrently carryout calls, send and receive e-mail and text, picture and video messages; and download games and ringtones with a clearer reception and fewer dropped calls.
The mobile operator upgraded the equipment on all of its existing cell sites and installed backup generators for emergencies and service outages.
As part of the project, Verizon Wireless also activated a new, 21,312-square-foot MTSO Mobile Telephone Switching Office (MTSO) in The Great Lakes State. The new office is located in Southfield. This office is supposed to enhance network reliability for metropolitan customers in the Detroit area.
"Network reliability is the number one reason that customers choose and stay with Verizon Wireless," commented Greg Haller, president-Michigan/Indiana/Kentucky Region for Verizon Wireless in a statement. "Getting through on the first try and maintaining a connection are important to our customers. We continue to optimize our network so that it remains dependable."
Verizon Wireless has reportedly invested $923 million over the past seven years on improvements to its network in Michigan, including upgrades made last year.
Today's news follows Verizon Wireless' announcement about it's over 131 million-dollar investment in South Carolina for 2006, which added up to the company's total investment over the past six years to $445 million.
The mobile operator also launched its Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) third generation (3G) wide-area network in selected markets in that state, including Columbia, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, and Charleston. Verizon Wireless' national EV-DO network now includes 181 major metropolitan areas and is reportedly available to approximately 200 million Americans nationwide.
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Johanne Torres is contributing editor for TMCnet and Internet Telephony magazine. To see more articles by Johanne Torres, please visit her columnist page.
Third Generation (3G) | X | A variety of cellular phone specifications collectively known as Third Generation mobile technology. 3G networks do not operate in the same frequency spectrum as 2G. Examples of 3G wireless specs incl...more |
Internet Protocol (IP) | X | IP stands for Internet Protocol, a data-networking protocol developed throughout the 1980s. It is the established standard protocol for transmitting and receiving data
in packets over the Internet. I...more |
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