AT&T Expands Mobile Broadband Services Along the Jersey Shore
21 Shore Towns Become Wireless "Hot Spots"
PARSIPPANY, N.J., Aug. 9 -- Millions of people living and visiting the Jersey shore no longer have to rely solely on wired connections for broadband access to the Internet. AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) today announced the expansion of its third generation (3G) mobile broadband network transforming 21 towns in Ocean County into a wireless superhighway.
With the addition of 46 new cell sites, AT&T is now offering 3G wireless services in Lakewood, Brick, Toms River, Dover Township, Bayville, Point Pleasant Borough, Seaside Park, Seaside Heights, Lacey Township, Waretown, Forked River, Stafford Township, Manahawakin, Barnegat, West Creek, Harvey Cedars, Ship Bottom, Brant Beach, Beach Haven, Tuckertown, and Little Egg Harbor Township.
Ocean County is just the latest addition to AT&T's high speed broadband network available in Monmouth, Middlesex, Mercer, Atlantic, and Cape May Counties as well as parts of Morris, Essex and Bergen Counties. The company's 3G network has also been deployed in New York City, and is available in sections of Westchester County and Long Island including the Route 110 corridor and the Hamptons. Since 2004, the company has spent $1.2 billion making wireless network improvements including the addition of more than 600 new cell sites to enhance coverage and capacity and expand its 3G network.
AT&T customers using the 3G mobile broadband network can rapidly access e-mail, browse the Internet or connect to business applications in a fraction of the time it used to take. Customers with compatible devices can also enjoy Video Share, a revolutionary new service that lets consumers stream live video while having a conversation from phone to phone.
"Video Share is another example of how advanced wireless services are changing our everyday lives," said Tom DeVito, vice president and general manager for AT&T's wireless unit in New Jersey and New York. "Think how empowering it is to be able to show others exactly what you are seeing, when you are seeing it, and to share that experience from the beach, across town or around the country."
PERSONAL MOBILITY -- FAST AND FURIOUS
Customers can catch up on all news and sports from CNN, ABC or ESPN or watch the latest episode of "Entourage" by signing up for AT&T's CV, an on-demand streaming video service with a large selection of popular mobile content that can be viewed on 3G broadband-capable AT&T phones.
"We've tailored our video services so that customers can quickly and easily personalize and access the information that's most important to them," added DeVito. "Imagine Mom on vacation checking out the weather video before deciding whether to take the kids to the beach or the movies, or the executive taking a three-day weekend and being able to check the latest action on Wall Street with headlines from CNBC - all on their wireless phone from AT&T." The service also includes local weather forecasts in 100 cities across the country.
Basic service includes more viewing options for families including ABC-TV, Cartoon Network, CNN, Disney Channel, Disney Mobile Studios, ESPN, FOX Sports, FOX News, FOX-TV, FUEL, HBO Family, iFilm, Jayski Alerts, Music Choice, NASCAR.com To Go (premium), NCAA Championship Sports Content, NBC, Richard Childress Racing, SPEED, The Weather Channel and TV Guide Channel. The video service requires a $19.99 MEdia Max package. Premium content, such as HBO Mobile or HBO Family is available with a subscription fee of $4.99 or $2.99 a month.
MOBILIZING BUSINESS AT HIGH SPEED
Using its 3G broadband services, AT&T's LaptopConnect gives users the ability to stay connected to e-mail, the Internet and business applications while on the go. LaptopConnect combines either an external LaptopConnect card or an integrated modem within a notebook computer with AT&T's Communication Manager to provide access to the 3G network. LaptopConnect also offers security features comparable to alternative wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi. Customers can choose from AT&T's full portfolio of LaptopConnect cards, costing $49.99 with a two-year contract and mail-in rebate at AT&T-owned wireless retail stores, www.wireless.att.com/, or through AT&T's business-to-business sales organization. Additionally, business customers traveling outside the United States can select one of two international data plans. AT&T DataConnect North America ($109.99 for 100MB) for travel within Canada and Mexico, and DataConnect Global ($139.99 for 100MB), an overseas plan -- both include unlimited data usage on AT&T's domestic data networks.
All AT&T LaptopConnect cards and integrated modems are interoperable between the company's nationwide EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) and its 3G network. Additionally, customers can use AT&T's tri-band 3G cards to access 3G, EDGE or GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) in 130 countries worldwide.
THE TECHNOLOGY: HSDPA/UMTS
AT&T's 3G broadband network uses HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), the high speed evolution of GSM/EDGE, which shares a common core network and therefore is backward compatible with EDGE/GPRS. HSDPA provides average download data speeds between 400 and 700 Kbps (kilobits per second) with bursts to more than 1MB (megabit). The company currently offers high speed services in more than 165 major metropolitan areas across the country. HSDPA/UMTS (High Speed Downlink Packet Access/Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems) technology makes it possible for people to enjoy a wide variety of wireless content and gives AT&T the advantage of offering simultaneous voice and data services to customers based upon the Global Standard for Mobile communications -- GSM. For businesses and consumers, this means more feature-rich services and content, and for AT&T, a more economical method for carrying traffic and more efficient use of wireless spectrum.
"AT&T 's 3G mobile broadband service gives customers quick access to the information they crave, whether that means watching streaming video of Mets highlights on their wireless phone while waiting in line to grab a hot dog at Seaside, or working from the beach using a PC card to access the Internet and corporate e-mail. We're giving customers an 'invisible wire' that extends their broadband experience beyond their office or home."
In areas where the 3G broadband network is not available, customers will automatically receive service on the company's EDGE network. The AT&T EDGE network is available in more than 13,000 cities and towns and in areas along 40,000 miles of highways, providing average data speeds up to 135 Kbps. GSM, the world's most popular wireless technology, is used by international wireless carriers to serve more than 2 billion people worldwide. GSM enables AT&T customers to make and receive voice calls in 200 countries.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services and the nation's leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com/.
Source: AT&T Inc.
CONTACT:
Ellen Webner,
+1-973-637-9357,
cell, +1-201-532-7292,
ellen.webner@att.com, of AT&T Inc.
