AT&T Made Nearly $1.2 Billion in Wireless and Wireline Network Upgrades in the New York Metro Area in 2011 Alone

NEW YORK, March 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- To improve customers' experiences, including addressing surging demand for mobile Internet, AT&T* made nearly $1.2 billion dollars in wireless and wireline network upgrades in the New York metro area** in 2011, improving wireless network speeds and reliability.

To further improve the customer experience, the company also announced today that it is reallocating spectrum from the older, lesser-used 2G network in the New York metro area to help add capacity to the 3G network.  As part of that plan, AT&T is stepping up efforts to encourage 2G customers to move over to its newer, high speed broadband networks, including proactively contacting select customers who use 2G devices in the areas where the spectrum is being reallocated with an offer to upgrade to a free 3G device.

This innovative solution to reallocate spectrum is one way AT&T is helping address the looming spectrum crunch, an issue facing the entire wireless industry. AT&T's mobile Internet traffic doubled nationally from 2010 to 2011, and has increased 20,000 percent over the past five years.

Early this year AT&T also turned on 4G LTE in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and areas of Jersey City, which is capable of delivering mobile Internet speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G.  During 2011, AT&T made more than 5,100 wireless network upgrades in four key categories in the New York metro area. These enhancements include:

• Deploying faster and more reliable fiber-optic connections to more than 2,250 cell sites.
• Adding capacity – like adding lanes to a highway – with the addition of an extra layer of spectrum, or "carriers" to more than 2,800 cell sites.
• Upgrading nearly 40 cell sites to provide fast mobile Internet speeds.
• Activating nearly 25 new cell sites or towers to improve network coverage

"We've made these investments because we're committed to improving service in New York," said Tom DeVito, vice president and general manager for AT&T in New York and New Jersey. "Today, AT&T customers in New York City have access to the nation's largest 4G network, which offers blazing-fast speeds for smartphones and tablets." 

Because AT&T has made upgrades to its network enabling widespread 4G coverage, we offer customers a more consistent, fast mobile Internet experience than other providers—whether downloading an app, streaming video or sending an e-mail. In the coming year, AT&T plans to continue to expand and improve their wireless network throughout the New York metro area. 

AT&T also offers the nation's largest Wi-Fi network***—nearly 30,000 hotspots—and smartphone customers get unlimited access at no additional charge. On Wi-Fi, you don't have to worry abut how much data you use.  And AT&T continues to provide free Wi-Fi to everyone in 26 parks throughout the five boroughs.

*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.

** New York metro area is defined as New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA MSA and Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT MSA

*** 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.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.

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