Verizon Wireless Customers Most Loyal in the Industry

Verizon Wireless Customers Most Loyal in the Industry

Nation's Largest Wireless Operator Reports Lowest Q4 Churn Rate

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless, provider of the nation's largest and most reliable 3G network, is also the leader in customer loyalty, reporting the lowest churn (turnover) rate among the nation's largest wireless carriers in the fourth quarter of 2009.

Churn is an important measure of customer loyalty and represents the percentage of customers who leave their provider in a given period.  Fourth-quarter financial performance announcements - the latest was released today - included the following customer churn rates, based on the average monthly churn for the quarter:

                         Total Customers          Postpaid
    Carrier           (Prepay and Postpaid)      Customers
    -------           ---------------------      ---------
  Verizon Wireless            1.42%                1.06%
  ----------------            ----                 ----
  Carrier X                   1.44%                1.19%
  ---------                   ----                 ----
  Carrier Y                    N/A                 2.11%
  ---------                    ---                 ----
  Carrier Z                    3.3%                 2.5%
  ---------                    ---                  ---



For 20 of the last 21 quarters, Verizon Wireless has led the wireless industry in customer loyalty, reporting the lowest churn rates among the four major U.S. carriers.

Network reliability

"People expect their cell phone to work when they make a call or try get on the internet," said Bill D'Agostino, executive director of network for Verizon Wireless in Southern California.  "That's why we invested nearly $485 million in our California network in 2009, an average of more than $1.3 million a day to give our customers the reliable service they expect."

Verizon Wireless has invested nearly $5.7 billion in its California network since the company was formed in 2000 and operates America's largest and most reliable wireless network.  To learn more about the Verizon Wireless network, visit: http://tinyurl.com/ky6bm

Network leadership

Verizon Wireless was the first wireless provider to offer 3G speeds.  Today the company has the largest and most reliable 3G network coverage area in the United States.  See Verizon Wireless' 3G coverage for yourself; view a map of Verizon Wireless' 3G coverage compared with competitors' 3G coverage at http://vzwmap.verizonwireless.com/dotcom/coveragelocator/images/maps/3Gcompari son.pdf.

To view video of Verizon Wireless' network in action, visit the VerizonWirelessTV channel on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/VerizonWirelessTV.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 91 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with  83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NASDAQ and LSE: VOD).  For more information, visit http://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 http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.




Source: Verizon Wireless
   

CONTACT:  Ken Muche of Verizon Wireless , +1-949-286-8193,
Ken.Muche@verizonwireless.com

Web Site:  http://www.verizonwireless.com/