June 21, 2011
ROCKEFELLER APPLAUDS VERIZON FOR COMPLETING 4G LTE COVERAGE IN CHARLESTON
Senator Helped Win Verizon’s Promised Investment in West Virginia’s Communications Infrastructure
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Senator Jay Rockefeller today released the following statement following Verizon’s completion of a high-speed wireless network in Charleston:
“A high-tech communications network means more than faster download times,” said Rockefeller, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. “For thousands of West Virginians, it opens doors to real economic opportunities that might not otherwise exist in rural areas. Verizon has made a significant commitment to West Virginia, and I’m very happy they agreed with me that our state needs dependable, advanced wireless service.”
“Making sure West Virginia’s infrastructure is on the leading edge of technological advancement is one of my top priorities,” Rockefeller said. “That’s why I fought to secure nearly $180 million in grants and loans for West Virginia from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Along with Verizon’s multi-million dollar investment, West Virginia has benefitted from a private-public partnership of more than a half a billion dollars over the last year. That’s the type of smart investment we need to move our state forward.”
Background:
Rockefeller has consistently pressed for greater technology deployment in West Virginia, and was successful in getting company officials to agree to a $100 million investment in a 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE).
Scheduled for completion this year, Verizon’s expansion will cover nearly 65 percent of the state’s population with high speed wireless services. West Virginia will be the leading state for Verizon’s 4G deployment in markets where no previous 3G infrastructure existed.
Following the successful implementation of the 4G network in Charleston, Verizon’s 4G launch plans in West Virginia will eventually include Huntington, Parkersburg, Wheeling, Weirton, Beckley, Clarksburg, Morgantown, Fairmont and Martinsburg by the end of 2013.