Live Blog: Verizon 4G LTE conference call

Q&A:

[liveblog] Concludes with: “There you go, whether you call it 4g or chicken soup it will be available as of Sunday.”

[liveblog] 12:40 How do you counter the 4G marketing versus “true-4G”? Great question.  Tony – Customers will see the difference, anything else won’t really work.

[liveblog] 12:38 TM VoIP running on 4G initially is adding issues we’re not ready for. When we have LTE more fully deployed we will switch to LTE data and voice at the same time.  Applications with VoIP can still theoretically be used over the LTE network, if it is built-in

[liveblog] 12:31 Sasha Sagen (SP?) Mandatory 2 year contracts, relatively same plans, when are things going to change? Tony – changes will come down the road….

[liveblog] 12:30 Computer world – February was supposed to be the release of smartphones.  Tony- If I stated mid-year, I meant by mid-year

[liveblog] 12:25 Sue Merrick Fierce Wireless – How are you going to let consumers know how much data they are using?  Tony – 4 alerts letting consumers know how much data you’ve used.  Access Manager will tell you if you’ve hit 50, 75, 95, 100% usage.

[liveblog] 12:22  TM – Android really took off with Verizon behind it, we believe LTE will do the same with verizon behind it

[liveblog]  12:20 TM – 3 key points – 1 commitment to superior network performance,  2 sunday is just the beginning – we are going to continue to build out and fine tune the network, 3 Not all 4G is the same.

[liveblog] 12:20 Nokia, Cisco, Ericsson, and others hugely important to the network build out.  LG took the lead on the device side for feeling out the issues that might occur during the actual deployment – LG was a huge help in this, they took the lead

[liveblog] 12:19 Upcoming devices, smartphones middle of 2011 and will be announced at CES in January

[liveblog] 12:19 Sunday LG USB modem, soon after Pantech will launch.  All the USB modems will be 3G compatible

[liveblog] 12:17 TM data plans 5GB – $50 10GB – $80 $10 per GB over – NO SLOWING DOWN THE NETWORK

[liveblog] 12:14 TM latency is roughly half of 3G networks, it allows us to almost mirror a wired network

[liveblog]  12:13 TM let’s look at the speeds full loaded network – we expect 5-12 Mbps down and 2-5Mbps update – currently it is even better as there are much less users

[liveblog] 12:12 TM 700MHz has nationwide coverage “beachfront property” I like to call it.  3G and 4G are going to be available side by side.  This also opens up our ability to offer more headroom on the 3G network as people move over to the 4G network

[liveblog]  12:11 TM – 4G is used/overused in the industry – this is the real deal….this is a brand new network.  It’s based on the latest technical standards – it will be the foundation for the next generation networks over the next decade

[liveblog] 12:10 TM – when we think about the road warriors, especially, will enjoy the fact that we have made available LTE in 60 airports

[liveblog] 12:09 TM: We are launching in 38 markets, 1/3 of the American population – look at the I-95 corridor, it’s almost all covered

[liveblog] 12:07 Tony Malone engineer for VZW December 5th going live

[liveblog]  12:05 Jeff Nelson speaking: Waltham Massachusetts – location of testing center, ground broken last year, growing by leaps and bounds

[liveblog] 12:00 Waiting for call to begin

TODAYS PRESS RELEASE:

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Verizon Wireless announced today it is turning on the world’s first large-scale 4G LTE network on Sunday, Dec. 5. Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network will be the fastest and most advanced 4G network in America. Business users will be the first to take advantage of the 4G LTE network with speeds up to 10 times faster than the company’s 3G network.

With the launch, Verizon Wireless is also offering new value-priced 4G LTE Mobile Broadband data plans starting at $50 monthly access for 5 GB monthly allowance, as well as two new 4G LTE USB modems: the LG VL600 which will be available at launch, and the Pantech UML290, available soon.

Dan Mead, president and chief executive officer of Verizon Wireless, said, “Beginning Sunday, Verizon Wireless is making the best network even better. Our initial 4G LTE launch gives customers access to the fastest and most advanced mobile network in America and immediately reaches more than one-third of all Americans, right where they live. That’s just the start. We will quickly expand 4G LTE, and by 2013 will reach the existing Verizon Wireless 3G coverage area.”

Road warriors using laptops will immediately benefit from Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network with super-fast connectivity that’s up to 10 times faster than the company’s current 3G network. The company expects 4G LTE average data rates in real-world, loaded network environments to be 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink.

Mead continued, “We are building our 4G LTE network with the same commitment to performance and reliability for which we have long been recognized. Our commitment to superior network performance, combined with broad 4G coverage areas and the strong value of our data plans make 4G LTE Mobile Broadband the best choice for laptop users.”

4G LTE Mobile Broadband Data Plans, Devices and Coverage Areas
Verizon Wireless customers can choose from two 4G LTE Mobile Broadband data plans: $50 monthly access for 5 GB monthly allowance or $80 monthly access for 10 GB monthly allowance, both with $10/GB overage. For laptop connectivity, two 4G LTE USB modems will be initially available: the LG VL600 is available at launch and the Pantech UML290 will be available soon, each $99.99 after $50 rebate with a new two-year agreement. Both USB modems provide backward-compatibility with Verizon Wireless’ 3G network. If laptop users travel outside of a 4G LTE coverage area, they will automatically stay connected on the company’s 3G network.

The two modems harness the power of the company’s 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network to help enterprise, business and government customers make their workforces more productive, providing super-fast laptop connectivity. Both modems will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, online atwww.verizonwireless.com, by phone by calling 1-800 256-4646 and through the company’s business sales channels.

The company expects consumer-oriented handsets will be available by mid-2011. Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network is initially launching in 38 major metropolitan areas and in more than 60 commercial airports coast to coast – at both airports within the launch areas plus airports in other key cities. Street level coverage area maps will be available online on Dec. 5. Today, customers can go to www.verizonwireless.com/4Glte to check if their addresses will be in the initial 4G LTE coverage area.

Spectrum and Network Partners
By leveraging its 700 MHz spectrum for LTE deployment in the United States, Verizon Wireless is capable of quickly deploying a high-quality wireless broadband network with excellent coverage. Verizon Wireless’ primary 4G LTE network vendors, Ericsson and Alcatel-Lucent, are providing the underlying infrastructure for the 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network.

Visit www.verizonwireless.com/lte for more information about Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network.

Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Initial Major Metropolitan Area Deployment (Dec. 5, 2010)
Akron, Ohio 
Athens, Georgia 
Atlanta, Georgia 
Baltimore, Maryland 
Boston, Massachusetts 
Charlotte, North Carolina 
Chicago, Illinois 
Cincinnati, Ohio 
Cleveland, Ohio 
Columbus, Ohio 
Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex, Dallas, Texas 
Denver, Colorado 
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 
Houston, Texas 
Jacksonville, Florida 
Las Vegas, Nevada 
Los Angeles, California 
Miami, Florida 
Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota 
Nashville, Tennessee 
New Orleans, Louisiana 
New York, New York 
Oakland, California 
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 
Orlando, Florida 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 
Phoenix, Arizona 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 
Rochester, New York 
San Antonio, Texas 
San Diego, California 
San Francisco, California 
San Jose, California 
Seattle/Tacoma, Washington 
St. Louis, Missouri 
Tampa, Florida 
Washington, D.C. 
West Lafayette, Indiana 
West Palm Beach, Florida

Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Initial Commercial Airport Deployment (Airport Name, City, State) Dec. 5, 2010 
Austin-Bergstrom International, Austin, Texas 
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshal, Glen Burnie, Maryland 
Bob Hope, Burbank, California 
Boeing Field/King County International, Seattle, Washington 
Charlotte/Douglas International, Charlotte, North Carolina 
Chicago Midway International, Chicago, Illinois 
Chicago O’Hare International, Chicago, Illinois 
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Covington, Kentucky 
Cleveland-Hopkins International, Cleveland, Ohio 
Dallas Love Field, Dallas, Texas 
Dallas/Fort Worth International, Fort Worth, Texas 
Denver International, Denver, Colorado 
Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 
George Bush Intercontinental/Houston, Houston, Texas 
Greater Rochester International, Rochester, New York 
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Atlanta, Georgia 
Honolulu International, Honolulu, Hawaii 
Jacksonville International, Jacksonville, Florida 
John F. Kennedy International, New York, New York 
John Wayne Airport-Orange County, Santa Ana, California 
Kansas City International, Kansas City, Missouri 
La Guardia, New York, New York 
Lambert-St. Louis International, St. Louis, Missouri 
Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Bedford, Massachusetts 
Long Beach/Daugherty Field, Long Beach, California 
Los Angeles International, Los Angeles, California 
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, Metairie, Louisiana 
McCarran International, Las Vegas, Nevada 
Memphis International, Memphis, Tennessee 
Metropolitan Oakland International, Oakland, California 
Miami International, Miami, Florida 
Minneapolis-St. Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain, Minneapolis, Minnesota 
Nashville International, Nashville, Tennessee 
New Castle, Wilmington, Delaware 
Newark Liberty International, Newark, New Jersey 
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International, San Jose, California 
North Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada 
Orlando International, Orlando, Florida 
Orlando Sanford International, Sanford, Florida 
Palm Beach International, West Palm Beach, Florida 
Philadelphia International, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 
Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Phoenix, Arizona 
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, Mesa, Arizona 
Pittsburgh International, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 
Port Columbus International, Columbus, Ohio 
Portland International, Portland, Oregon 
Rickenbacker International, Columbus, Ohio 
Ronald Reagan Washington National, Arlington, Virginia 
Sacramento International, Sacramento, California 
Salt Lake City International, Salt Lake City, Utah 
San Antonio International, San Antonio, Texas 
San Diego International, San Diego, California 
San Francisco International, San Francisco, California 
Seattle-Tacoma International, Seattle, Washington 
St. Augustine, Saint Augustine, Florida 
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International, Clearwater, Florida 
Tampa International, Tampa, Florida 
Teterboro, Teterboro, New Jersey 
Trenton Mercer, Trenton, New Jersey 
Washington Dulles International, Dulles International Airport, Washington, D.C. 
Will Rogers World, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 
William P. Hobby, Houston, Texas

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Media can access high-resolution images and video related to Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network in the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library atwww.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.)

About Verizon Wireless 
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 93 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 79,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visitwww.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 atwww.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

NOTE: This press release contains statements about expected future events and financial results that are forward-looking and subject to risks and uncertainties. For those statements, which may include or be preceded by such words as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates” and similar expressions, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this presentation and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise them for any reason.

The following important factors, in addition to those discussed under “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K (No. 333-160446), could affect future results and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements: changes in economic conditions; our ability to complete transactions relating to acquisitions and dispositions, including the integration of the Alltel business; changes in the ratings of our debt securities or those of Verizon Communications; adverse conditions in the credit markets impacting cost or availability of financing sufficient to meet our capital requirements; our ability to acquire and retain customers; our continued provision of satisfactory service to our customers at an acceptable price; the effects of competition; our ability to adapt to changing conditions in the wireless industry; the ability of our key suppliers to meet their obligations to us; the effects of material changes in available technology, including technology substitution and the cost of deployment; the impact of continued unionization efforts with respect to our employees; adverse regulatory and taxation developments; the effects of litigation; the impact of equipment failures, natural disasters, terrorist acts or other breaches of network or information technology security; and the effects of any required future changes in accounting assumptions.

As most of us know, Verizon Wireless is going live with their 4g LTE solutions this month at some point.  When?  We don’t know, but we will, very soon.  Join us here as we sit in on the Verizon Wireless Teleconference starting at 12:00 EST.

Below is the original list of markets that will be receiving LTE 4G this year.  This was announced at CTIA Enterprise and Applications in San Fransisco, CA on October 6, 2010.

Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Initial Major Metropolitan Area Deployment

• Akron, Ohio
• Athens, Georgia
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Baltimore, Maryland
• Boston, Massachusetts
• Charlotte, North Carolina
• Chicago, Illinois
• Cincinnati, Ohio
• Cleveland, Ohio
• Columbus, Ohio
• Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Dallas, Texas
• Denver, Colorado
• Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Houston, Texas
• Jacksonville, Florida
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Los Angeles, California
• Miami, Florida
• Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota
• Nashville, Tennessee
• New Orleans, Louisiana
• New York, New York
• Oakland, California
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Orlando, Florida
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Phoenix, Arizona
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Rochester, New York
• San Antonio, Texas
• San Diego, California
• San Francisco, California
• San Jose, California
• Seattle/Tacoma, Washington
• St. Louis, Missouri
• Tampa, Florida
• Washington, D.C.
• West Lafayette, Indiana
• West Palm Beach, Florida

Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Initial Commercial Airport Deployment (Airport Name, City, State)

• Austin-Bergstrom International, Austin, Texas
• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshal, Glen Burnie, Maryland
• Bob Hope, Burbank, California
• Boeing Field/King County International, Seattle, Washington
• Charlotte/Douglas International, Charlotte, North Carolina
• Chicago Midway International, Chicago, Illinois
• Chicago O’Hare International, Chicago, Illinois
• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Covington, Kentucky
• Cleveland-Hopkins International, Cleveland, Ohio
• Dallas Love Field, Dallas, Texas
• Dallas/Fort Worth International, Fort Worth, Texas
• Denver International, Denver, Colorado
• Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• George Bush Intercontinental/Houston, Houston, Texas
• Greater Rochester International, Rochester, New York
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Atlanta, Georgia
• Honolulu International, Honolulu, Hawaii
• Jacksonville International, Jacksonville, Florida
• John F. Kennedy International, New York, New York
• John Wayne Airport-Orange County, Santa Ana, California
• Kansas City International, Kansas City, Missouri
• La Guardia, New York, New York
• Lambert-St. Louis International, St. Louis, Missouri
• Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Bedford, Massachusetts
• Long Beach/Daugherty Field, Long Beach, California
• Los Angeles International, Los Angeles, California
• Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, Metairie, Louisiana
• McCarran International, Las Vegas, Nevada
• Memphis International, Memphis, Tennessee
• Metropolitan Oakland International, Oakland, California
• Miami International, Miami, Florida
• Minneapolis-St. Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Nashville International, Nashville, Tennessee
• New Castle, Wilmington, Delaware
• Newark Liberty International, Newark, New Jersey
• Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International, San Jose, California
• North Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
• Orlando International, Orlando, Florida
• Orlando Sanford International, Sanford, Florida
• Palm Beach International, West Palm Beach, Florida
• Philadelphia International, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Phoenix, Arizona
• Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, Mesa, Arizona
• Pittsburgh International, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Port Columbus International, Columbus, Ohio
• Portland International, Portland, Oregon
• Rickenbacker International, Columbus, Ohio
• Ronald Reagan Washington National, Arlington, Virginia
• Sacramento International, Sacramento, California
• Salt Lake City International, Salt Lake City, Utah
• San Antonio International, San Antonio, Texas
• San Diego International, San Diego, California
• San Francisco International, San Francisco, California
• Seattle-Tacoma International, Seattle, Washington
• St. Augustine, Saint Augustine, Florida
• St. Petersburg-Clearwater International, Clearwater, Florida
• Tampa International, Tampa, Florida
• Teterboro, Teterboro, New Jersey
• Trenton Mercer, Trenton, New Jersey
• Washington Dulles International, Dulles International Airport, Washington, D.C.
• Will Rogers World, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• William P. Hobby, Houston, Texas