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TAMPA, Fla., June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- With the 2009 Hurricane Season officially beginning today, June 1, Floridians are urged to prepare an emergency communications plan. Verizon Wireless, which makes intensive preparations to maintain strong network coverage during and after storms, offers these tips to help residents stay safe and in touch:

• Keep wireless phone batteries fully charged - in case local power is lost - well before warnings are issued.
• Have additional charged batteries and car-charger adapters available for back-up power.
• Keep phones, batteries, chargers and other equipment in a dry, accessible location.
• Keep a list of emergency phone numbers - police, fire, and rescue agencies; insurance providers; family, friends and co-workers; etc. - programmed into your phone.
• Distribute wireless phone numbers to family members and friends.
• Forward your home phone calls to your wireless number if you will be away from your home or have to evacuate.

If a storm already is on the way, Verizon Wireless suggests these tips:

• Limit non-emergency calls to conserve battery power and free-up wireless networks for emergency agencies and operations.
• Send brief text messages rather than voice calls for the same reasons as above.
• Check weather/ news reports available on wireless phone applications when power is out.

"We know proper planning and preparation is the key to staying safe and in touch during emergency situations, so we urge residents to take the necessary steps now," said Pam Tope, Florida region president for Verizon Wireless. "And to ensure that our wireless services will perform for customers in any situation, Verizon Wireless teams have been working hard throughout the year to strengthen our wireless network."

Verizon Wireless has continued the intensive investments and preparations that proved critical during and after past years' extraordinary storm seasons. In the aftermath of even the most devastating hurricanes, the Verizon Wireless network in Florida remained strong while many other wireless communication networks struggled to serve emergency response officials and residents reaching out to insurance providers, family, friends and co-workers.

Additional highlights of the Verizon Wireless 2009 Hurricane Season preparation and network enhancement include:

• A comprehensive emergency response plan, including preparing emergency command centers across Florida in the case of a storm or other crisis.
• Verizon Wireless network technicians, who serve as the inspiration for the famous TV Test Man commercials, traveled nearly 50,000 miles across the state this past year in six vehicles ($250,000 each equipped with phones, wireless data devices and computers) to measure the quality of voice and data calls on Verizon Wireless and other carriers.
• The company has a fleet of dozens of Cells On Wheels (COWS), Cells ON Light Trucks (COLTS), and Generators On A Trailer (GOATS) that can be rolled into hard-hit locations or areas that need extra network capacity.
• Pre-arranging fuel delivery to mobile units and generators to keep the network operating at full strength even if power is lost for an extended period of time.
• Erecting during the past year nearly 90 new digital cell sites, of which about 85 percent have their own on-site generators and new expanded fuel tanks to extend their power-generating capacity.
• The completion of the Verizon Wireless 3G high-speed wireless network throughout the state, allowing customers to access advanced wireless services more reliably and at even faster broadband speeds.
• Updating and optimizing technology at regional network switching facilities throughout the state, as well as completing the first phase of construction of a high-tech $50 million switching facility in west Broward County. The new switch, which will be completed late this year, will reinforce wireless network capacity and help enhance services for customers throughout South Florida. All of the company's "super switches," which are designed to withstand a Category 5 hurricane, are equipped with large-scale back-up power generation.

These new technologies, facilities and network-strengthening efforts are part of an investment exceeding $1.8 billion in the state since the company was formed. Nationally, in that time period, Verizon Wireless has spent about $50 billion to enhance its digital wireless network.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and data network, serving more than 86.6 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 86,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit 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 www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.