AT&T Lights Up 3G Mobile Broadband Coverage Along I-68 in Western Maryland and West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle
Local 3G Wireless Network Upgrade Extends Access to Advanced Products, Services and Applications for Residents in Allegany, Morgan, and Berkeley Counties
CUMBERLAND, Md., Feb. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AT&T* today announced the availability of its third generation (3G) mobile broadband network in Western Maryland and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, opening the door to a new era of mobile services, devices and feature-rich audio and video content for customers located near the eastern portion of Interstate 68.
For this expansion, AT&T's 3G wireless network – the nation's fastest – was added to 15 cell sites. AT&T customers will now experience enhanced voice and data quality throughout the communities of Cumberland, Corriganville, Ellerslie, Flintstone, Little Orleans, and Mount Savage in Maryland's Allegany County, as well as Berkeley Springs, Great Cacapon, Glengary, and Hedgesvile in West Virginia's Morgan and Berkeley counties.
"Delivering dependable wireless coverage in more places for consumers who need to stay connected to work, family and friends is our ultimate objective," said J. Michael Schweder, President AT&T Mid-Atlantic. "Our investments in Western Maryland and the Eastern Panhandle will help us ensure that our customers have access to the wireless services that help drive economic growth in traditionally rural areas."
The network extension is part of AT&T's ongoing efforts to drive innovation and investment to deliver the benefits of smartphones and mobile broadband for customers. More smartphone customers have chosen AT&T over any other U.S. competitor, and AT&T is committed to driving continual enhancement of network capabilities to meet these customers' ever-growing mobile broadband needs.
Today's announcement builds on AT&T's 2009 wireless investment, during which it added 30 new cell sites in Maryland and upgraded nearly 150 existing sites to 3G. Similarly, AT&T added nearly 40 new cell sites to West Virginia in 2009 and upgraded more than 50 existing sites to 3G.
AT&T recently completed a software upgrade at 3G cell sites nationwide that prepares the nation's fastest 3G network for even faster speeds. The deployment of High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 technology is the first of multiple initiatives in AT&T's network enhancement strategy designed to provide customers with an enhanced mobile broadband experience, both today and well into the future. Faster 3G speeds are scheduled to become available in 2010 and 2011 on a market by market basis as AT&T combines the new technology with our second initiative to dramatically increase the number of high-speed backhaul connections to cell sites, primarily with fiber-optic connections, adding capacity from cell sites to the AT&T backbone network.
AT&T's 3G mobile broadband network is based on the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) family of technologies that includes GSM and UMTS, the most open and widely used wireless network platforms in the world. AT&T offers 3G data roaming in more than 115 countries, as well as voice calling in more than 220 countries.
More information about AT&T's 3G coverage in Western Maryland, West Virginia or anywhere in the United States may be found at http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/, which indicates quality of coverage based on a street address, intersection, ZIP code, or even a landmark.
For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit www.att.com/networknews.
*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.
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. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest 3G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. AT&T offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse(SM) and AT&T | DIRECTV(SM) brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T's Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations are known for their leadership in directory publishing and advertising sales. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE® magazine's list of the World's Most Admired Companies.
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Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Information set forth in this press release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results might 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 and revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.
SOURCE AT&T Inc.
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