AT&T Tallies More Than 560 Enhancements To Wireless Network In Northern Ohio Counties

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T¹ today announced that expansion and enhancement of its wireless network in northern Ohio included more than 560 upgrades in 2014. Counties enjoying these enhancements include Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Auglaize, Carroll, Champaign, Columbiana, Coshocton, Crawford, Cuyahoga, Darke, Defiance, Delaware, Erie, Fulton, Geauga, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Holmes, Huron, Jefferson, Knox, Lake, Logan, Lorain, Lucas, Mahoning, Marion, Medina, Mercer, Miami, Morrow, Ottawa, Paulding, Portage, Putnam, Richland, Sandusky, Seneca, Shelby, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Union, Van Wert, Wayne, Williams, Wood and Wyandot.  The upgrades include activation of new cell sites, adding capacity, and upgrading cell sites to provide fast 4G LTE mobile Internet speeds. In total across Ohio in 2014, AT&T made more than 830 upgrades to its wireless network.

More than 360 cell sites in northern Ohio were upgraded to provide fast 4G LTE mobile Internet speeds. More than 120 new cell sites were activated. And in more than 70 instances, cell sites in northern Ohio received added layers of frequency, also known as "carriers," to provide extra wireless capacity to a cell site's coverage area.

"Fast and reliable mobile data is key to our growing economy. This kind of infrastructure investment in northern Ohio will help the entrepreneurs, small businesses, and hardworking citizens who are striving every day to create a more prosperous Ohio," said State Representative Mike Dovilla. "This investment is good news for my constituents because advancement in mobile technologies is a critical economic driver for businesses and consumers to remain competitive and to foster further economic growth."

The 2014 enhancements are part of AT&T's Project Velocity IP (VIP), a three-year investment plan announced in fall 2012 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 macro cell sites nationwide by year-end 2015, as well as deploy small cells and add Distributed Antenna Systems to increase the density of its wireless network.

"AT&T's thousands of Ohio employees are always looking for new opportunities to provide an enhanced customer experience, and our investment in the local wireless network is just one way we're accomplishing that," said Adam Grzybicki, President of AT&T Ohio.

AT&T's 2014 wireless network enhancements in Ohio included the launch of service for former Alltel subscribers in Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Auglaize, Coshocton, Crawford, Erie, Hancock, Hardin, Holmes, Huron, Knox, Licking, Marion, Morrow, Putnam, Richland, Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, Wayne and Wyandot counties. Speed and reliability enhancements were not the only benefits for these customers. The upgraded network in Ohio offers service on significantly more cell towers than the Alltel network and better call quality.² With these upgrades, existing AT&T cell towers in these areas now provide enhanced indoor coverage and cover a wider area from each cell tower. In addition, the integration of former Alltel towers into the upgraded network increased AT&T's cell towers in these areas of Ohio by nearly 40 percent.

These investments help to ensure that Ohioans continue to enjoy the best possible experience over the AT&T network, whether at home, at work or on the go.  AT&T's network has the nation's strongest LTE signal³, and AT&T also has the nation's most reliable LTE network⁴.

Over the last six years (2009-2014), AT&T invested nearly $140 billion including investments in its wireless and wireline networks and acquisitions of wireless spectrum and operations. Since 2009, AT&T has invested more in the United States than any other public company. In a September 2014 report, the Progressive Policy Institute ranked AT&T No. 1 on its list of U.S. "Investment Heroes," a ranking AT&T has achieved for the third straight year.

¹AT&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.

² Based on general comparison between 3GCDMA network and AT&T 4G network technical capabilities, individual coverage and service experience will vary. Compatible device required. Coverage not available everywhere.

³ Claim based on avg. LTE signal strength for national carriers. 

⁴ Reliability claim based on analysis of independent third party data re nationwide carriers' 4G LTE. LTE is a trademark of ETSI. 4G LTE not available everywhere.

About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) helps millions of people and businesses around the globe stay connected through leading wireless, high-speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. We're helping people mobilize their worlds with state-of-the-art communications, entertainment services and amazing innovations like connected cars and devices for homes, offices and points in between. Our U.S. wireless network offers customers the nation's strongest LTE signal and the nation's most reliable 4G LTE network. We offer the best global wireless coverage. We're improving how our customers stay entertained and informed with AT&T U-verse^® TV and High Speed Internet services. And businesses worldwide are serving their customers better with AT&T's mobility and highly secure cloud solutions.

Additional information about AT&T products and services is available at http://about.att.com. Follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/att and YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/att.

© 2015 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. 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.

Reliability and signal strength claims based on nationwide carriers' LTE. Signal strength claim based ONLY on avg. LTE signal strength. LTE not available everywhere. Global coverage claim based on offering voice and data roaming in more countries than any other U.S. based carrier, and offering the most wireless smartphones and tablets that work in the most countries.

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.

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