AT&T And The University Of Kansas Team Up To Enhance Wireless Coverage On Lawrence Campus

LAWRENCE, Kan., Sept. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Pack 16,300 basketball fans into KU's Allen Fieldhouse, and the number of mobile devices trying to connect goes through the roof along with the decibel level.

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To support growing demand for advanced wireless devices and services, AT&T* will be improving its mobile Internet coverage on the KU Lawrence campus through a multi-year, multi-million dollar installation of several new 4G LTE-capable Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS).

A DAS installation consists of multiple strategically-placed antennas that will distribute AT&T's wireless network coverage throughout KU, providing for more efficient management of wireless capacity in heavily-trafficked areas. DAS has the ability to provide enhanced, more consistent wireless coverage to customers in indoor and outdoor spaces where geographical limitations―terrain, building construction, etc.―or crowd density might otherwise prevent the optimal wireless experience.

"This thorough, campus-wide network enhancement will pay big dividends as mobile usage on campus continues to accelerate at a rapid pace," said Bob Lim, KU Chief Information Officer. "KU holds many large scale events throughout the year, and the additional mobile bandwidth that results from this effort will allow for a more enjoyable experience for our faculty, staff, students and key stakeholders."

DAS technology helps lessen a customer's delay when accessing the Internet on a mobile device by shortening the distance a request must travel. The additional capacity also is expected to help improve call reliability, boost data traffic capacity and enable more consistent network access on the KU campus, helping students and faculty make the most of their mobile devices.

"We know college students, faculty and staff spend the majority of their time on campus, and we want to ensure a great network experience no matter what they're doing―whether that's making a call, checking email or surfing the Web," said Nancy Garvey, Vice President/General Manager AT&T Greater Midwest.

AT&T plans to improve connectivity at KU by installing DAS throughout the campus in three separate phases. Phase one of the installation began in August and is expected to cover academic buildings on the southwest part of the KU campus and KU Athletics facilities, including Allen Fieldhouse, Hoglund Ballpark, Anschutz Pavilion, Horejsi Family Athletics Center, as well as buildings on KU's West Campus, such as the Lied Center.

Phase two of the build is expected to cover academic buildings and residence halls on the northeast part of the KU campus, as well as Memorial Stadium and surrounding buildings. The third phase is expected to cover the remaining KU residence halls.

AT&T plans to complete the network build by the end of 2015. Once each phase is completed, AT&T will open the DAS to other wireless companies, providing improved coverage to all students, faculty, staff and visitors if their provider elects to join the DAS network.

The KU DAS installation is part of AT&T's Project Velocity IP (VIP), a three-year investment plan announced last fall to expand and enhance its IP broadband networks. Through this investment, AT&T is supporting its customers' growing desire for high-speed Internet access and new mobile, app and cloud-based services. As part of Project VIP, AT&T plans to add more than 1,000 DAS nationwide by year-end 2015, as well as more than 10,000 macro cell sites, and deploy more than 40,000 small cells, to increase the density of its wireless network.

"With initiatives like Project VIP, we're committed to our investment in the local wireless network. Providing enhanced wireless coverage at KU is just one way that we're investing in Kansas," Garvey said.

"We are pleased to begin this multi-year collaboration with AT&T to greatly enhance the mobile experience on campus and in our athletic venues," KU Provost Jeff Vitter said. "Access to information is vitally important on a university campus, and this effort greatly improves the ability to connect and communicate."

For more information about AT&T's coverage in Lawrence 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.

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 internationally. With a powerful array of network resources, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, 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.

© 2013 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. 4G not available everywhere. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

About the University of Kansas

The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. The university's mission is to lift students and society by educating leaders, building healthy communities and making discoveries that change the world. The KU News Service is the central public relations office for the Lawrence campus.

[email protected] | 785-864-3256 | 1450 Jayhawk Blvd., Suite 37, Lawrence, KS 66045

SOURCE AT&T Inc.