AT&T Invests $365 Million In Indiana Network In First Half Of 2012

LAFAYETTE, Ind., Aug. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* today announced that it has invested $365 million in its wireless and wired networks in Indiana through the first half of 2012.  Network upgrades include activation of new cell sites or towers to improve network coverage, deploying faster connections to enable 4G speeds, and adding spectrum capacity to support additional traffic. 

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"Investment in the telecommunications infrastructure upon which Hoosier businesses and consumers depend every day continues to lead to job growth and increased economic development across Indiana," said State Senator Brandt Hershman, author of the 2006 Indiana Telecommunications Reform Act.  "We want Indiana to be a place where you can start a business anywhere, and this kind of investment in advanced technologies better enables Hoosiers to compete in a new global economy."

First-half upgrade highlights include:

• Launch of AT&T 4G LTE** in West Lafayette, Bloomington, Muncie (including the three area university campuses), Lafayette and Westfield; bringing customers the latest generation of wireless network technology.
• Addition of an AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Zone in downtown Indianapolis, and activation and expansion of AT&T's 4G LTE service in the Indianapolis pro football stadium.  This includes an expanded stadium Distributed Antenna System (DAS)--among the largest of its kind in the U.S.--and DAS installations in a number of other Indianapolis venues.

"The best kind of investment to celebrate is that which enables businesses to grow and create jobs while also helping to improve the overall quality of life for our friends and neighbors.  This investment does both," said State Senator Ron Alting. 

Other first half highlights include AT&T mobile Internet network expansion in 24 communities and 92 sites across the state, including along major roadways:

• North Vernon, Madison, Frankfort, Darlington, Greensburg, Batesville, Napoleon, Austin, Scottsburg, Seymour, Crothersville, Frankton, Vincennes, Bedford, Orland, Bourbon, Etna Green, Pierceton, Hope, Tell City, Ferdinand, Dale, Lynnville and Santa Claus.

AT&T also added more wireless network capacity to 299 sites in the following 36 counties:

Shelby, Decatur, Jefferson, Jennings, Ripley, Scott, Jackson, Madison, Knox, Fountain, Warren, Vermillion, Carroll, White, Hendricks, Johnson, Morgan, Howard, Sullivan, Marion, Owen, Greene, Henry, Montgomery, Lawrence, Delaware, Tippecanoe, Dubois, Gibson, Harrison, Perry, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, Lake and Warrick.

"At a time nationally where many companies have slowed their growth, the telecommunications industry continues to invest in Indiana in the communities they serve.  That is good for Hoosier businesses and good for our state," said State Representative Sheila Klinker.

AT&T's innovation and investment has resulted in the nation's largest 4G network, covering 275 million people with ultra-fast speeds and a more consistent user experience.  AT&T is the only U.S. service provider to deploy two compatible 4G technologies to deliver more speed to more customers.  Our 4G LTE networks delivered faster average download speeds than any of our competitors in PCWorld's most recent 13-market speed tests.

"Thanks to the forward-looking approach of the General Assembly, Indiana has one of the best environments for communications infrastructure investment in the nation," said AT&T Indiana President George S. Fleetwood. "Indiana is a great place for companies to invest and grow their presence and none of that would be possible were it not for the leadership of people like Sen. Hershman, Sen. Alting and Rep. Klinker."

AT&T's 4G LTE network delivers speeds faster than many other mobile Internet technologies, as well as multiple innovations that optimize the network for performance.  Our network's radio components are placed close to the antenna at most cell sites, instead of inside the base station, which helps minimize power loss between the base station and antenna and, in turn, improves the performance of our LTE network.  The network also is designed with its core elements distributed across the country, which helps reduce latency, or the delay when using the Internet, because your request isn't traveling as far.

Even as AT&T continues to expand its LTE coverage in 2012 and 2013, customers can get 4G speeds outside of LTE areas on our 4G HSPA+ network, unlike competitor's, where customers fall back to slower 3G technologies when outside of LTE coverage.  And only AT&T's 4G network lets iPhone 4S download three times faster.

"We're working to build a 4G network that's smarter and better to provide our customers with a superior mobile Internet experience," said Fleetwood.  "The ongoing investment we're making across Indiana is designed to increase 4G coverage, reliability and speed.  We also continue to invest in technologies like Wi-Fi and DAS to help provide customers with the best connections when they want it, whatever they're doing."

AT&T's focus to deliver the best possible mobile Internet experience goes beyond 4G to embrace additional connection technologies.  AT&T operates the nation's largest Wi-Fi network*** among wireless carriers with more than 30,000 hotspots in the U.S., and provides access to nearly 225,000 hotspots globally through roaming agreements. Most AT&T smartphone customers get access to our entire national Wi-Fi network at no additional cost, and Wi-Fi usage doesn't count against customers' monthly wireless data plans.

AT&T also is a leading developer of Distributed Antenna System (DAS) networks, which utilize multiple small antennas to maximize coverage and speed within stadiums, convention centers, office buildings, hotels and other areas where traditional coverage methods are challenging. 

Over the past five years, AT&T invested more than $115 billion into operations and into acquiring spectrum and other assets that have enhanced our wireless and wired networks. Since 2007, AT&T has invested more capital into the U.S. economy than any other public company.  In a July 2012 report, the Progressive Policy Institute ranked AT&T No. 1 on its list of U.S. "Investment Heroes."

For more information about AT&T's coverage in Indiana or anywhere in the United States, consumers can visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer.  For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit the AT&T network news page.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
**Limited 4G LTE availability in select markets. Deployment ongoing. 4G LTE device and data plan required. LTE is a trademark of ETSI. Learn more about 4G LTE at att.com/network.
*** Largest based on company branded and operated hotspots. Access includes AT&T Wi-Fi Basic.  A Wi-Fi enabled device required. Other restrictions apply. See www.attwifi.com for details and locations.

About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries.  It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse^® and AT&T │DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world.

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.  This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Information set forth in this news release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update or revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.