Verizon Wireless said Tuesday it spent more than $179.7 million on its Illinois network last year, more than the roughly $166 million investment the carrier made in the state in 2009.

In 2010, Verizon built 57 new cell sites and installed equipment at more than 560 cell sites in the state to boost capacity. The company said it also put in new equipment for the launch of its 4G network, which went live in Chicago in December as part of a broader launch in 38 U.S. cities.

Verizon, which is headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., employs more than 2,800 people in Illinois and runs 77 company-owned retail outlets.