All about Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless began life as Bell Atlantic-NYNEX Mobile, a merger between Bell Atlantic Mobile and NYNEX Mobile Communications in 1995. In 1997 their namesake Baby Bell parents followed suit to form the new Bell Atlantic and their wireless subsidiary was renamed Bell Atlantic Mobile.

Bell Atlantic Mobile and NYNEX Mobile Communications were created from Advanced Mobile Phone Service, Inc., which was a subsidiary of AT&T created in 1978 to provide cellular service nationwide. AMPS, Inc. was divided among the RBOCs (Regional Bell Operating Companies) as part of the Bell System Divestiture.

In June 1999, AirTouch Communications of San Francisco, California merged with UK-based Vodafone Group Plc, forming Vodafone AirTouch Plc. A $90-billion joint venture with Bell Atlantic Corp. to be called Verizon Wireless was announced in September 1999 by Vodafone AirTouch. The venture would be comprised of the companies' U.S. wireless assets: Bell Atlantic Mobile and AirTouch Paging. It took 6 months to receive regulatory approval for the new joint venture and operations began on April 4, 2000.

GTE Wireless was added to the mix on June 30, 2000 in connection with the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE to form Verizon Communications. This made Verizon Wireless the largest wireless communications provider at the time.

The name "Verizon" is a portmanteau derived from combining the Latin word "veritas" (which means "truth") and the English word "horizon". Together, they are supposed to conjure images of reliability, certainty, leadership, and limitless possibilities.

Verizon Wireless uses CDMA (IS-95, 1x and EV-DO) on their network. CDMA IS-95 is a 2G (2nd generation) technology often marketed as cdmaOne. IS-95 is also known as TIA-EIA-95. CDMA 1x is considered a 2.5G protocol in 1xRTT and a 3G protocol in EV-DO. Verizon Wireless also supports a legacy AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone System) analouge network.

Verizon Wireless invests a claimed $8 billion annually to maintain and expand its nationwide CDMA network. Verizon Wireless offers voice services as well as 3G data services such as wireless broadband based on EV-DO Rev A, text and picture messaging, over-the-air downloadable applications and content from its "Get It Now" service, Video on Demand in the form of V CAST (which allows customers to download and view video content), location-based services, and Push-to-Talk.

The entire EV-DO network was overhauled to EV-DO Rev. A which was completed on June 30, 2007. This enabled PC Cards to download at speeds of 600Kbit/s to 1.4Mbit/s and upload at 500-800Kbit/s.

On 27 November 2007, Verizon Wireless announced plans to allow all cell phones compatible with their CDMA technology to run on their network. Users of such phones are also allowed to use any application they wish. The plan should take effect by the end of 2008.

Verizon Wireless had announced on September 20, 2007 a joint effort with the Vodafone Group to transition their networks to the 4G standard LTE, a variant of the GSM standard and on November 29, 2007 announced that they would start LTE trials in 2008. If adopted this would be a significant shift away from Verizon Wireless' current use of CMDA technology. Moving to GSM would bring Verizon Wireless' network in line with a lot of cellular networks overseas, which would allow Verizon Wireless customers to use their handsets when traveling worldwide.

In 2000, Verizon Wireless advertised the fact that they were, for a time, the largest cellular network in the country by showing people using cell phones and then gesturing with two fingers, much like the World War II-era "V for Victory" sign, to show that the person was on the Verizon ("V" or "iN") network. The slogan for Verizon Wireless at that time was "Join in." (Reminiscent of the slogan "Join in" was used in their marketing scheme up to this day. i.e., "iN-calling," "iN-messaging," and even the toll-free number "1-800-2-JOIN-IN.")

Verizon later adopted the slogan "We never stop working for you," with commercials depicting a Verizon employee roaming about in strange places continuously asking, "Can you hear me now? Good." The "test man" represents Verizon test technicians.

In 2005, Verizon Wireless added an "army" of network engineers into their commercials in conjunction with the "test man." The "test man" no longer says "Can you hear me now? Good." Instead, they have adopted a new slogan "It's the Network." to emphasize their network quality.

In late-2007-early-2008, Verizon debuted a new commercial with the test man once again saying the line "Can you hear me now?".

It was reported in early 2007 that Verizon Wireless passed on the chance to become the exclusive distributor of the iPhone almost two years previous, balking at Apple's rich financial terms and other demands.

Among other things, Apple wanted a percentage of the monthly cellphone fees, say over how and where iPhones could be sold and control of the relationship with iPhone customers, said Jim Gerace, a Verizon Wireless vice president. "We said no. We have nothing bad to say about the Apple iPhone. We just couldn't reach a deal that was mutually beneficial."

Verizon's decision to pull the plug on talks sent Apple into the waiting arms of Cingular (which now is solely owned by AT&T and adopting that brand name), which is now the exclusive U.S. carrier for the iPhone under the branding AT&T.

Verizon Wireless has tried to launch other phones in place of the iPhone, labeled by some media outlets as "iPhone killers". One of which was the LG Prada (KE850). LG has claimed that Apple stole both the ideas and concept of the Prada phone. A lawsuit by LG had been rumored prior to this announcement; however, LG has remained silent on whether or not they will file a lawsuit.

Sources

USA Today: Verizon rejected Apple iPhone deal
Verizon PC World: Planning iPhone Killer