“Our network teams have been working extremely long and hard on this giant jewel of wireless network technology,” said Frank Wise, Florida executive network director.  ”This is a big moment for our technicians and a great moment for wireless customers in South Florida.”

The building was designed to accommodate large-scale expansion of the Verizon network as needed and to withstand a Category 5 hurricane. The facility also has the capacity to handle tens of millions of daily voice calls and wireless data transmissions such as text, photo and video messages; downloads of games, music and other applications; uploads to social media sites; Web surfing; and more.

“South Florida is one of the most dynamic and demanding markets in the nation, with millions of highly mobile tech-savvy customers squeezed along a coast,” said Pam Tope, Florida region president for Verizon Wireless.  ”We built this switch to ensure our customers have the most reliable, advanced coverage and services today and for decades to come.”

In the past year, the company has spent $240 million in Florida on network enhancements.

Later this year, Verizon Wireless plans to launch its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless services in 25 to 30 markets nationally.