COLUMBIA, S.C., Jan. 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 60,000 former Alltel wireless customers in South Carolina¹ are seeing a change as AT&T² launches service for them. AT&T acquired Alltel's wireless operations in September 2013. The transaction included subscribers, spectrum and retail and network assets.

Since then, AT&T has been hard at work upgrading the network to combine the strength of Alltel's local coverage with AT&T's 4G LTE network — the most reliable 4G LTE network with the strongest signal in the nation — covering more than 300 million people.³ The upgraded network was launched late last year with customers activating their new AT&T devices earlier this month.

"We've worked day and night to upgrade our network in South Carolina so that former Alltel customers will have a great experience with AT&T," said Alex Parker, AT&T Georgia/South Carolina vice president and general manager. "These customers will have access to a better combined network. In fact, AT&T's 4G LTE network is capable of data speeds up to 10 times faster than the 3G speeds on the former Alltel network. Customers now also enjoy the latest smartphones and tablets and have award-winning retail locations to meet their wireless needs."⁴

Former Alltel customers will have access to AT&T's 4G LTE network.  But speed and reliability enhancements are not the only benefits for these customers. The upgraded network in South Carolina offers service on significantly more cell towers and better call quality than on the Alltel network. ⁵

And former Alltel subscribers aren't the only ones to benefit. With the upgrades, existing AT&T cell towers can 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 has increased AT&T's cell towers in Carolina by more than five percent. So, all subscribers in this part of the state will benefit from a better high speed Internet experience on their mobile devices.

Former Alltel customers needed new handsets to use the new faster AT&T network. All former Alltel wireless postpaid customers in South Carolina were given the option to receive a new comparable device from AT&T at no additional cost and with no time added to their contracts. They also could choose an upgraded device from AT&T's exciting lineup of smartphones.⁶ Prepaid customers received special offers for new devices and plans.

AT&T also upgraded or relocated some former Alltel retail locations. AT&T customers, including former Alltel subscribers, in South Carolina may now visit the following retail stores to learn more about AT&T's latest products or services:

AT&T Company Owned Retail Stores:

• 11347 Dunbarton Blvd., Barnwell, SC 29812
• 1691 J A Cochran Bypass, Chester, SC 29706
• 1537 Floyd Baker Blvd., Gaffney, SC 29341
• 525 ByPass 72, NW, Greenwood, SC 29649
• 908 East Main St., Laurens, SC 29360
• 109 Heritage Drive, Newberry, SC 29108
• 2380 Chestnut Street, N.E., Orangeburg, SC 29115
• 1598 Sandifer Blvd., Seneca, SC 29678

AT&T is committed to ensuring everyone who walks through the door of one of our stores receives smart, friendly and fast service. As a result J.D. Power awarded AT&T the "Highest Satisfaction with the Purchase Experience among Full-Service Wireless Providers" in its 2014, Volume 1 study.⁷ Former Alltel customers can also visit any authorized retailer location or national retailer location that offers AT&T products and services.

Customers with general questions about the transition from Alltel to AT&T can visit www.att.com/alltel. Or for details about their new devices, they can visit www.att.com/mynewphone. Customers may also call (800) 331-0500 or speak with an AT&T sales rep at any AT&T retail location.

¹ Counties include: Abbeville, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Saluda and Union.

² 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.

³ Claim basis: Nationwide carriers' LTE. Signal strength claim based ONLY on avg. LTE signal strength. LTE not avail. everywhere.

⁴ 10x faster 4G LTE claim compares 4G LTE download speeds to industry average 3G download speeds. Access to 4G LTE requires an LTE-capable handset. 4G LTE speeds not available everywhere. Learn more about 4G LTE at att.com/network.

⁵ 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.

⁶ Customers choosing an upgraded AT&T device were required to select an AT&T Mobile Share Value Plan.

⁷ AT&T received the highest numerical score among full service wireless providers in the proprietary J.D. Power 2013 (Vol. 2) and 2014 (Vol. 1) Full Service Wireless Purchase Experience Study^SM. Study based on 8,525 (Purchase Experience) consumer responses measuring 4 full service wireless providers and measures opinions of consumers who purchased a wireless product or service within last 6 months.  Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed July-December 2013.  Your experiences may vary.  Visit jdpower.com

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.

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.

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SOURCE AT&T Inc.

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