Verizon Co-Director of Technology talks Oklahoma

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Austin Fisher is Co-Director of Technology for Verizon Wireless in Oklahoma. Fisher is an Oklahoma native and is responsible for directing sales, operations, marketing and financial performance across a four-state region.

1. Verizon has announced the faster XLTE service on its 4G LTE network in Oklahoma. What sort of work was required to get the service running?

Tulsa’s history with Verizon’s wireless network goes back a number of years. Verizon was the first carrier to launch 4G LTE technology in Tulsa in July 2011. In fact, we were the first carrier to deliver a 4G LTE network in all of Oklahoma, and nationwide for that matter.

XLTE is the next evolution of our existing 4G LTE network, and it provides more capacity on Verizon’s Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum. To keep it simple, we took the best network infrastructure and made modifications and added equipment at our switching center, individual cell sites and the corresponding towers. In addition, we made upgrades to our fiber transport network within Oklahoma to provide our customers with more bandwidth. XLTE currently is in multiple markets across Oklahoma, with more markets launching throughout the year. Last year, Verizon Wireless spent almost $64 million to build upon its network in Oklahoma and $9.4 billion nationwide.

2. Do Oklahomans lean more toward iPhone or Android, or is the split much like the rest of the nation?

As with all technology, the preference between iOS and Android devices is strictly an individual choice. Both operating systems offer customers broad use of their device, from watching movies, to surfing the Web, sending texts, making voice or live video calls — plus, you can pair both devices with accessories that let you keep track of your daily activity, watch live video of inside your home, turn on/off your lights and appliances, control your home thermostat and so much more.

The bigger focus, though, is on the wireless network. Even if you own the latest and greatest smartphone, what good is it if you can’t make a call when or where you want? Verizon Wireless has built the largest and most reliable wireless network in the country, ensuring customers can make calls from the largest of cities to the smallest of towns. So, think bigger than the phone itself, evaluate the network that’s going to keep you connected.

3. Recently, T-Mobile was sued by the FTC for charges not authorized by their customers, also known as cramming. What steps has Verizon taken to prevent cramming and to make bills easier to read?

Before we discontinued offering premium messaging services, Verizon Wireless protected customers from unauthorized third-party charges for premium messaging services through the utilization of its own industry-leading verification and investigation practices, and had a generous policy of providing refunds to customers who complained that a third-party charge was not authorized. As consumer interest in premium messaging services waned with consumers’ increased adoption of smartphones and the applications they support, Verizon Wireless discontinued offering premium messaging services to its customers in late 2013.

4. With the increasing number of web-connected devices, how has traffic on Verizon’s network increased

Smart accessories are used in the home, education, sports, business, health care, law enforcement and every industry we can imagine, and there’s room for so many more high-tech products.

This is a satirical website. Don't take it Seriously. It's a joke.