BroadbandAccess, V CAST in Salt Lake market

Verizon Wireless announced today it has launched two new products in the Salt Lake market as part of its plan to expand its mobile wireless technology services nationwide.

The first, called V CAST, lets consumers download 3D video games and stream video clips (up to 5 minutes long) of entertainment, sports highlights and news to their V CAST phones. V CAST costs $15 per month on top of the price of consumers' calling plans. Additional download fees are applied to short video content (including music videos and select sports clips), the company said in a statement. Fees also apply for 3D games, premium video content and other certain applications.

Utilizing V CAST requires a newer phone, such as the LG VX9800 or the Motorola RAZR V3c.

Verizon's second product, BroadbandAccess, is directed toward "mobile professionals" and businesses, the company said. The service gives customers the ability to connect wirelessly to the Internet at broadband speeds (typically 400-700 kilobits per second).

Both V CAST and BroadbandAccess run on Verizon's wireless broadband network. In Utah, the service area of that network extends from Ogden to Payson, the company said.

"The expansion of our high-speed wireless broadband network provides Verizon Wireless customers in Salt Lake City with state-of-the-art mobile wireless technology," Jeff Mango, Verizon's regional president, said in a prepared statement. "With V CAST, consumers can access the latest in multimedia programming — like music videos and current movie trailers — to stay connected, informed and entertained via their wireless phones, and BroadbandAccess provides mobile workers full access to their corporate information, just as if they were attached via a high-speed wired connection but with the freedom of true mobility."

Verizon is the latest in a wave of mobile phone providers to offer video, music and other advanced data. In October, Sprint launched its Power Vision Network, which it said enables its U.S. wireless customers to download and buy full songs over-the-air from their phones; view live TV and 30 multimedia entertainment and news channels; take and share high-resolution pictures and high-quality video; and retrieve customized news, traffic, weather, sports and entertainment information. Cingular also offers a mobile TV product, and earlier this year introduced its "ROKR" phone, the much-hyped mobile phone with iTunes integration.

Spokesman Robert Kelley said Verizon's new products are now available in 180 metropolitan areas nationwide. He declined to comment on how many customers Verizon has in Utah or its market share.

Headquartered in Bedminster, N.J., Verizon Wireless has 49.3 million total voice and data customers.

---

E-mail: jnii@desnews.com