AT&T Details More Than 300 Wireless Network Upgrades During Past Year in the Cleveland Area

CLEVELAND, Jan. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --  AT&T* customers in Cleveland and surrounding communities are expected to experience improved mobile broadband coverage and voice performance as a result of continued investment by AT&T. The company announced today network improvements made to enhance the wireless capacity and performance of its local mobile broadband network.

During 2011, AT&T made more than 300 wireless network upgrades in the Cleveland area. Some of the enhancements include:

• Deploying enhanced backhaul connections to more than 200 cell sites. Combined with HSPA+ technology, these backhaul deployments enable 4G speeds**.
• Adding capacity or an extra layer of frequency to cell sites – like adding lanes to a highway – with the addition of more than 80 of these layers, or "carriers".
• Activating several new cell sites to improve network coverage and upgrading several existing cell sites to provide faster mobile broadband speeds.

"Throughout 2011 we aggressively expanded our mobile broadband network in Cleveland so consumers can quickly access the information they need while at home, at work, or while they're traveling," said Tom Pelto, president, AT&T Ohio.  "Between 2008 and 2010 we invested $1.4 billion in Ohio and throughout 2011 we added more than 50 new cell sites to improve network coverage, upgraded over 130 existing cell sites for faster mobile broadband speeds, and added capacity, or an extra layer of frequency to more than 360 cell sites."

"Our goal is to deliver a network experience that mobilizes everything for customers," said Larry Evans, vice president and general manager, AT&T Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. "The ongoing investment we're making in Ohio is designed to increase coverage and reliability, and to provide advanced services to our customers so they can do more with their wireless devices." 

AT&T plans to support the build or upgrade of thousands of cell sites nationwide to increase network speed, coverage and reliability for both mobile voice and broadband services. AT&T also plans to install additional radio "carriers" at thousands of cell sites nationally, enabling new layers of spectrum capacity to carry larger volumes of mobile broadband traffic. Additional capacity helps support rising mobile data traffic volumes, which continue to increase at a rapid pace.

AT&T also operates the nation's largest Wi-Fi network*** with more than 29,000 hotspots in the U.S. and provides access to nearly 190,000 hotspots globally through roaming agreements. As of October 2011, nearly 265 AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots are provided in the Cleveland area, in venues such as hospitality locations, retail venues, stadiums and restaurants. 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.

For more information about AT&T's coverage in the Cleveland area or anywhere in the United States, consumers can visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer. Using the online tool, AT&T customers can measure coverage quality of coverage from a street address, intersection, ZIP code or even a landmark.

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.
**4G speeds delivered by HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul. Available in limited areas. Availability increasing with ongoing backhaul deployment. 4G device required. Learn more 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. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising.

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.

© 2012 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. Mobile broadband not available in all areas. 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.

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.