AT&T Boosts 3G Capacity and Coverage for Southwest Florida Customers

Upgrades Dozens of Cell Sites in Lee, Collier and Charlotte Counties.

AT&T* announced it has expanded 3G service and increased capacity on its 3G mobile broadband network in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties. As a result of the upgrades, local wireless customers are expected to experience improved 3G wireless coverage and voice and data connectivity and performance, especially during peak hours.

The network project involved upgrading four cell sites with 3G technology and adding a second layer of capacity, or �2nd carrier,� to more than 40 local cell sites. The additional capacity is in support of the ever-growing demand for mobile broadband services. AT&T plans to add second and third layers of capacity to nearly 200 cell sites in Southwest Florida before the end of year.

The local cell sites to which 3G was added to expand mobile broadband coverage are located in Estero, Naples and Immokalee. The sites are providing additional 3G coverage along Alligator Alley in Collier County, near the intersection of I-75 and State Road 29; in eastern Lee County along County Road 850 out to the county line; in northwestern Collier County, along County Road 846 near Everglades Boulevard; along County Road 846 into Immokalee; and in Ave Maria.

The four Southwest Florida sites are among nearly 200 cell sites statewide that AT&T plans to upgrade to 3G this year. With 3G speeds, AT&T customers can surf the Web, download files faster, and enjoy the very latest interactive mobile applications.

�We�re always looking for new opportunities to provide better coverage for our local customers,� said Jennifer Van Buskirk, vice president and general manager, AT&T Mobility & Consumer Markets for West, Central and North Florida. �We want them to have an extraordinary experience whenever, wherever and however they use their AT&T device. Our investment in the Southwest Florida network is one way we�re accomplishing that goal.�

Wireless data traffic on the AT&T network has grown more than 5,000 percent over the past three years, largely attributed to the increasing popularity of advanced smartphones and the performance of AT&T�s 3G network � the fastest in Fort Myers and the nation, according to independent testing.

AT&T recently completed a software upgrade at 3G cell sites nationwide that prepares the nation�s fastest 3G network for even faster speeds. The deployment of High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 technology is the first of multiple initiatives in AT&T�s network enhancement strategy designed to provide customers with an enhanced mobile broadband experience, both today and well into the future. Faster 3G speeds are scheduled to become available this year and in 2011 on a market by market basis as AT&T combines the new technology with the increased deployment of high-speed backhaul connections to cell sites, primarily with fiber-optic technology.

For more information about AT&T�s 3G coverage in Southwest Florida or anywhere in the United States, consumers can visit http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer. The online tool can measure the quality of coverage based on a street address, intersection, ZIP code or even a landmark.

For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit www.att.com/networknews.