Published: May 26, 2009 03:39 pm      

Can you hear him now?

Verizon Wireless tests its network in preparation for 500

INDIANAPOLIS — You know that guy in the Verizon Wireless TV commercials who goes around testing the company’s network by asking, “Can you hear me now?”

That guy actually exists.

In fact there are about 100 Verizon representatives nationwide, including Howard Groves of Indianapolis, who drive around while using calling modules controlled by laptops. A new phone call is initiated about every minute and a half. Each phone has a dedicated land-line set up with the computer to talk back and forth. Automated voice clips of phrases such as “chicken leg is a rare dish” and “the jacket hung on the back of a wide chair” (representing the harmonics of an average conversation) are played.

All the data is recorded to see whether calls go through OK and aren’t inordinately dropped.

“We’re out trying to keep our product going,” said Groves, who monitors the Verizon network with two others all over Indiana and Kentucky. “This is just our way of testing our network.”

Groves started his job in November 2000. He doesn’t know how much Verizon’s network has grown since then, but says it’s “a lot.” In fact, Verizon Wireless has more than 86 million customers nationwide. The company has invested more than $50 billion in its network, including more than $106 million in Indiana during 2008.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been a major emphasis of that expansion. Verizon Wireless has increased its data capacity around the track by 95 percent and its voice capacity by 30 percent.

“We’ve placed a large emphasis in boosting our capacity around the Speedway every year for several years,” said Michelle Gilbert, a Verizon Wireless spokesperson. “We noticed that at big sporting events, particularly the Indianapolis 500 and other races that take place there, people rely heavily on their phones.”

Now more than ever, people are using their cell phones for Internet and data as much as they are for making calls. Groves and other Verizon test men use a dedicated Internet Protocol address to put zip files on and run tests to check web availability everywhere they go.

“Our goal is to get as close to the customer experience as we can,” Groves said.

With an estimated crowd of 400,000 at IMS Sunday, network availability is goal one for Verizon Wireless. Existing cell sites around Speedway have been upgraded and a new one installed. A mobile cell site also will be in service there on race day.

“Sunday, during the race, we normally go out and test around the perimeter,” said Groves, adding that they generally check the network a couple of hours before the Indianapolis 500 starts and right after it ends. “Peak times are generally when the race starts and ends.”

So far, Gilbert says Verizon Wireless has been able to meet customer demands at IMS.

“We look at the prior year’s usage rates and overall growth in terms of how our customers are using our phones,” she said. “Then we build as much capacity as we can to meet the needs. So when customers press ‘send,’ their calls go through.”

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Online:

www.verizonwireless.com



wade.coggeshall@flyergroup.com