Saturday, October 17, 2009

Mobile Cell Site Assists Emergency Workers after Naches, Washington, Landslide

Verizon Wireless activates temporary cell site to improve coverage.

What:
Verizon Wireless’ responded to calls for network support from the Washington Department of Transportation after Sunday’s landslide buried a quarter-mile section of the roadway along Highway 410 in Naches, Washington in Yakima County.

The company deployed a temporary mobile cell site or COW (Cell on Wheels) to the stricken area. A COW is a self-contained mobile cell site designed for rapid and short-term network response. It enhances wireless coverage so that Verizon Wireless customers and emergency personnel can make more calls, send more messages and download information.

When:
A Cell On Wheels (COW) mobile cell site was dispatched on October 13, 2009

Where:
In Naches, Washington, near the Oak Creek Wildlife area and the community of Nile.

Why:
Verizon Wireless deploys COWs to enhance its network when there is a natural disaster or power outage. In the past year, Verizon Wireless has deployed COWs and other equipment to more than a dozen western wildfire incidents. The company also provided more than 750 wireless phones with service to aid public safety officials and other emergency responders.

Network Investment:
Verizon Wireless invested more than $106 million in its Washington network in 2008. The company’s total network investment is more than $785 million in Washington and $50 billion nationally since the company was formed nine years ago.

Reliability:
In addition to its fleet of mobile equipment, Verizon Wireless’ reputation as the nation’s most reliable network is supported by industry-leading redundancy and maintenance measures. This is particularly valuable during natural disasters and other emergencies. Verizon Wireless network-reliability features include battery back-up power at all facilities as well as generators installed at all switching facilities and many cell site locations.

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