Cingular Wireless Completes $400 Million Investment in Gulf States Market During 2006
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New AT&T unit launched high-speed wireless network in three Gulf States cities
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Jan. 26 -- Cingular Wireless, the nation's largest wireless carrier and now part of the new AT&T, spent nearly $400 million in improving and expanding services in the company's Gulf States market which includes Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Northwest Florida during 2006. These local investments, part of an estimated $6 billion national network capital expenditure program in 2006, include:
oAlabama/NW Florida- completed $145 million investment and added 34 cell
sites in 2006.
oLouisiana- completed $165 million investment and added 53 cell sites in
2006.
oMississippi- completed $90 million investment and added 94 cell sites
in 2006.
Last year, AT&T's wireless unit added high-speed 3G (third-generation) service in Birmingham, Baton Rouge and New Orleans; built 181 new cell sites; added network capacity; and completed the integration of the company's cell sites with those of the former AT&T Wireless, acquired in 2004, to establish a single, enhanced network. The impact of the network integration was improved coverage and expansion of network services in just a few months that otherwise would have taken up to five years to achieve.
"2006 has proven to be an unprecedented year for us in the Gulf States market," said Joe Larussa, vice president and general manager for AT&T's wireless operations for the AL/LA/MS/NWFL market. "We completed a major expansion initiative and added our 3G network in several markets and that's an exceptional achievement that positions us- and our customers- 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.
Larussa added, "And now as part of AT&T, in 2007 we will continue our momentum and focus on delivering our customers, throughout the region, with a strong network and pleasant in-store customer experience. We are well positioned to deliver on these promises with more than 2,500 cell sites in the region."
AT&T's new 3G service is based on High-Speed Data Packet Access (HSDPA) technology. The wireless unit's 3G network is the first widely available service in the world to use HSDPA. The 3G network allows high-speed access to cell phones designed for the higher speed, as well as process 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.
The company'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 one megabit per second. Nationwide, 3G service is available in more than 165 markets.
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Source: Cingular Wireless
CONTACT: Dawn Benton of Cingular Wireless, +1-404-236-5305,
+1-404-202-6335 (wireless), Dawn.benton@cingular.com
Web site: http://www.cingular.com/
