AT&T Enhances Mobile Internet Coverage At Vanderbilt University Medical Center

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its continuing network investment to support growing demand for advanced wireless devices and services, AT&T* has improved its mobile Internet coverage at Vanderbilt University Medical Center by completing the installation of a new 4G LTE-capable Distributed Antenna System (DAS).

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The DAS contains 1250 antennas providing enhanced network coverage to 11 facilities at the campus covering more than 4.9M square feet of space.  The facilities include Vanderbilt Hospital, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital, Medical Center East North Tower, Medical Center North, The Vanderbilt Clinic, Medical Center East South Tower, Preston Cancer Research, Medical Research Building 3, Medical Research Building 4 and the Medical Arts Building.

AT&T invested nearly $1.4 billion in its Tennessee wireless and wireline networks from 2010 through 2012, with a focus on expanding 4G LTE mobile Internet coverage and enhancing the overall performance of its networks.

A DAS installation consists of multiple strategically-placed antennas that distribute AT&T's wireless network coverage throughout the Medical Center's campus 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 or outdoor spaces where geographical limitations – terrain, building construction, etc. – or crowd density might otherwise prevent the optimal wireless experience.

"Wireless and broadband services are critical parts of how we connect with family, conduct business and provide healthcare services," said State Representative Gary Odom.  "This is a great example of how institutions like Vanderbilt University Medical Center are harnessing the latest advanced wireless infrastructure to meet the growing voice and data demands of healthcare professionals and patients."

The additional capacity is expected to help improve call reliability, boost data traffic capacity and enable more consistent network access so Vanderbilt faculty and staff can make the most of their AT&T devices.

This unobtrusive network solution is just one innovative approach AT&T is taking to ensure it provides a seamless and effortless customer experience. AT&T's innovation and investment has resulted in the nation's largest 4G network, covering 292 million people with ultra-fast speeds and a more consistent user experience. ^**

"We want our customers to have a great network experience wherever they are, no matter what they're doing – whether that's making a call, checking email, downloading apps or surfing the Internet," said Chris Percy, vice president and general manager for AT&T Mobility. "We're committed to our investment in the local wireless network, and providing enhanced wireless coverage at Vanderbilt University Medical Center is just one of the many ways we're investing in Nashville."

AT&T has deployed two compatible 4G technologies to deliver more speed to more customers, which means AT&T customers can get 4G speeds outside of 4G LTE areas on 4G HSPA+, unlike some competitors, where smartphone customers may fall back to slower 3G technologies when outside of LTE coverage. Our 4G LTE network delivered faster average download and upload speeds than any of our competitors in the most recent PCWorld/TechHive 20-market speed tests.

AT&T's 4G LTE network delivers speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G^***, 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 4G 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.

AT&T's focus to deliver the best possible mobile Internet experience goes beyond 4G and DAS to embrace additional connection technologies.  AT&T operates the nation's largest Wi-Fi network**** including more than 32,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots at popular restaurants, hotels, bookstores and retailers, and provides access to more than 402,000 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.

Over the past five years, AT&T invested nearly $98 billion into operations. Since 2008, 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 Nashville 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.

**4G speeds not available everywhere.  Comparison based on U.S. cities and towns with 4G coverage.

***Limited 4G LTE availability in select markets. Deployment ongoing. 4G LTE device and data plan required. Up to 10x claim compares 4G LTE download speeds to industry average 3G download speeds. LTE is a trademark of ETSI. Learn more about 4G LTE at att.com/network.

****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 internationally. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's largest 4G network, 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.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.