Cingular Wireless Completes $165 Million Investment in Georgia During 2006 -- Delivers Wireless Innovation
Share:
New AT&T Unit Launched High-Speed Wireless Network in Atlanta
ATLANTA, Jan. 23 -- Cingular Wireless, the nation's largest wireless carrier and now part of the new AT&T, invested nearly $165 million in Georgia in upgrading and expanding service during 2006. This local investment is part of the wireless company's estimated $6 billion national network capital expenditure program in 2006. The Georgia market includes portions of South Carolina, specifically Aiken, Bluffton and Hilton Head.
Last year, AT&T's wireless unit added high-speed 3G (third-generation) service in Atlanta, built 136 new cell sites and added network capacity across the state. As a result, the company's ALLOVER network* -- the largest digital voice and data network -- has grown bigger, better and more powerful in Georgia.
Areas where a majority of the service improvements took place include Augusta, Statesboro, Columbus, Camden County, Georgia/Florida Parkway, Aiken (SC) Savannah, Atlanta and Northeast Georgia (between Dalton and Greenwood).
"2006 has proven to be an unprecedented year for us in Georgia," said Cliff Minor, vice president and general manager for AT&T's wireless operations in Georgia. "We completed a major expansion initiative and added our 3G network and that's an exceptional achievement that positions us for the future."
Over the last two years, the company has invested more than $13.5 billion nationally in an aggressive program to upgrade and expand wireless service and now gives customers access to some 45,000 cell sites -- more than any other wireless carrier in the country.
Minor added, "And now as part of AT&T, in 2007 we will continue our momentum and focus on delivering a strong network and pleasant in-store customer experience. We are well positioned to deliver on these promises with more than 5,000 employees in the state, and more than 1,880 cell sites in Georgia."
The company's 3G service is based on High-Speed Data Packet Access (HSDPA) technology and is the first widely available HSDPA deployment in the world. This advanced network allows high-speed access to cell phones designed for the higher speed and processes wireless data over high-speed-capable phones or on a laptop. Customers can now more quickly access e-mail, browse the internet, connect to business applications, or watch video clips while on-the-go.
AT&T's 3G wireless network allows customers to download at average data speeds between 400-700 Kbps (kilobits per second) on the downlink, with bursts to more than a megabit per second. In Georgia, the company's high-speed network footprint includes more than 500 cell sites with 3G services offered in areas including metro Atlanta, Alpharetta, Riverdale, Powder Springs, Lilburn, Conyers, Buford, Fayetteville, Douglasville, Snellville, Canton, and Holly Springs. Nationwide, 3G service is available in more than 160 markets, including most of the top 100 major cities in the country.
*The ALLOVER network covers more than 273 million people. Coverage not available in all areas.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. is a premier communications holding company in the United States and around the world, with operating subsidiaries providing services under the AT&T brand. AT&T is the recognized world leader in providing IP-based communications services to business and the U.S. leader in providing wireless, high speed Internet access, local and long distance voice, and directory publishing and advertising services. As part of its "three screen" integration strategy, AT&T is expanding video entertainment offerings to include such next-generation television services as AT&T U-verse(SM) TV. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at www.att.com.
AT&T is a registered trademark of AT&T Knowledge Ventures. Subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. provide products and services under the AT&T brand. For more information, please review this announcement in the AT&T newsroom at www.att.com/newsroom.
Source: Cingular Wireless
CONTACT: Dawn Benton of Cingular Wireless, +1-404-236-5305 (office),
+1-404-202-6335 (wireless), or Dawn.benton@cingular.com
Web site: http://www.cingular.com/
http://www.att.com/
http://www.att.com/newsroom
