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Suburban Maryland businesses may not get as much done as they would like on Jan. 20, as millions of inauguration visitors are expected to tie up roadways and wireless communication networks.

While officials say they are prepared for the influx of traffic, calls, e-mails and text messages, some workers plan to take the day off to avoid crowds or view the festivities. At some companies, including the Bethesda corporate offices of Marriott International but not its hotels themselves, employees are being encouraged to take the day off or telecommute from home, as long as they obtain their managers' approval.

Executives with CTIA-The Wireless Association, a Washington, D.C., wireless telecommunications industry trade organization, advise residents and visitors using their cell phones to send text messages, which don't clog up wireless networks as much as phone calls, photos and videos, on Jan. 20. They also ask people to wait until leaving inaugural events to send any photos or videos, which require large amounts of bandwidth on mobile networks.

"Companies are undertaking extraordinary efforts to expand their networks' capacities," Steve Largent, CEO of CTIA and a former congressman and Seattle Seahawks wide receiver, said in a statement. "But it's important for the public to understand that there will likely be some delays. Just as restaurants, trains and highways have maximum capacity limits, wireless networks have also been built to meet the needs of a large, but limited, amount of people."

Wireless telecommunication carriers are busy boosting network capacity around the Capitol grounds, parade route and National Mall for that day, Largent said. They are also hiring additional technicians to monitor the networks during inauguration events, as well as adding new radio and portable sites to increase network capacity, he said.

"While there's only so much spectrum available for commercial use today, the industry is interested in working with the incoming administration to identify new spectrum to allow the wireless industry to meet the ever-growing demand for new wireless services," Largent said.

On the landline side, Verizon Communications has been working for the past year with government and public safety agencies, such as the Washington, D.C., Department of Homeland Security, to prepare for the increase in telecommunications needs for the inauguration, said Sandra Arnette, a spokeswoman for Verizon.

"We will be ready," Arnette said. "These preparations will allow us to effectively manage the expected unprecedented demand on our network."

Verizon will also have a representative in the District's Emergency Operations Center during inaugural week to address any issues, she said.