PASSAIC COUNTY, N.J. EXPANDS NETWORK WITH NEW CELL SITE.

In a continuing effort to provide the best wireless service for residents and commuters in Passaic County, Verizon Wireless, operator of the nation's most reliable wireless network, has expanded its network with a new cell site.

The new Passaic County cell site will improve network coverage and capacity in West Milford, north of Newfoundland, along CR 513.

Verizon Wireless invested $2 billion to enhance its New York Metro area network and more than $40 billion across the nation in the past seven years to stay ahead of the growing demand for the company's voice, data and mobile entertainment services, like VZ Navigator, which provides audible turn-by-turn directions; V CAST Mobile TV, offering eight broadcast quality mobile television channels; and V CAST Music which allows customers to download full songs directly to their V CAST-capable wireless phones and Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP-based PCs.

"Reliable networks are not built overnight," said Charles Hand, president of the company's New York Metro Region. "Our New Jersey customers are among the most demanding and tech savvy in the nation and Verizon Wireless continues to efficiently invest in network enhancements to deliver the reliable and innovative services customers want. Better yet, Verizon Wireless is the only major carrier with a 30-day network test drive pledge that pays for calls if a customer isn't satisfied and switches to another carrier."

Demand for Verizon Wireless services continued during the third quarter when the company added 1.6 million new customers, and continued its industry- leading customer loyalty rates. Verizon Wireless now serves more than 63.7 million customers nationwide.

Verizon Wireless' high-speed third generation wireless broadband network has been enhanced with EVDO Rev. A technology. This enhancement allows customers who use the company's flagship business data service, BroadbandAccess, to interact with Web-based applications, download music over the air, access to e-mail, everyday corporate data, the Internet, and more at speeds that are eight to nine times faster than before. For example, BroadbandAccess customers with Rev. A compatible devices can now expect average download speeds of 600 kilobits per second (kbps) to 1.4 megabits per second and average upload speeds of 500-800 kbps, which means customers can download a 1 megabyte email attachment -- the equivalent of a small PowerPoint(R) presentation or a large PDF file -- in about eight seconds and upload the same sized file in less than 13 seconds.

Nationally, Verizon Wireless' real-life test men and women drive 98 specially equipped vehicles nearly one million miles each year on Interstate, U.S. and state highways as well as major roads and surface streets in high- population areas, based upon U.S. Census counts, to confirm that voice calls and data connections are successful on the first attempt and stay connected. Vehicles are equipped with computers that automatically make more than three million voice call attempts and more than 16 million data tests annually on Verizon Wireless' network and the networks of other carriers.

For more information, visit http://www.verizonwireless.com or call 845/365-7212.