AT&T Invested More Than $1.15 Billion Over Three-Year Period To Enhance Local Networks In Louisiana

BATON ROUGE, La., March 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* has invested more than $1.15 billion in its best-in-class wireless and wired networks in Louisiana between 2011 through 2013, driving a wide range of upgrades to enhance speed, reliability, coverage and performance for residents and business customers.

Advancing its Project Velocity IP (VIP), an investment plan to expand and enhance its wireless and wired IP broadband networks, AT&T made 934 network upgrades statewide in 2013. Upgrades include new cell sites, addition of wireless and wired network capacity, and new broadband network connections. Additionally, AT&T expanded the reach of its network, providing access to U-verse^® Internet and video services to nearly 46,000 new customer locations and delivering powerful fiber-optic connections to 3,400 business locations at 78 multi-tenant business buildings and business parks.

"Growing our wired and wireless networks not only helps local businesses grow, but also makes these areas more attractive for future economic development investments," stated Sonia Perez, president of AT&T Louisiana.

Notable Louisiana network enhancements in 2013 included:

• Installing a distributed antenna system to boost capacity in the Cajundome
• Adding extra antenna systems in the French Quarter to handle events and crowds
• Expanding rural coverage across the state.

AT&T provides the nation's most reliable 4G LTE network today, covering more than 280 million Americans with 4G LTE service. 4G LTE deployment is ahead of schedule; AT&T plans to be substantially complete with deployment by the summer of 2014. In 2013, several markets in Louisiana were added or expanded within AT&T's extensive LTE network, including:   

• Alexandria/Pineville
• DeRidder
• Houma/Thibodaux
• Abita Springs

AT&T U-verse is delivered over AT&T's advanced IP network and includes AT&T U-verse High Speed Internet, AT&T U-verse TV, and AT&T U-verse Voice. Customers enjoy Total Home DVR^®, apps for entertainment on the go, and integrated features. AT&T was named Frost & Sullivan Video Company of the Year for 2013.  U-verse TV and broadband service continually ranks higher in customer satisfaction than do services from cable companies, according to third-party surveys. (Nielsen, J.D. Power). 

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 529,000 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.

For more information about AT&T's coverage in Louisiana 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.
** Largest based on company branded and operated hotspots.
To define a market, we rely on the Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSA), as established by the United States Office of Management and Budget.  Minor differences, if any, between annual totals reflect annual updating of market boundaries in our record systems.

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 most reliable 4G LTE 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 service with the AT&T U-verse^® brand. 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/aboutus or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/att and YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/att.

^© 2014 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.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120612/DA23287LOGO

SOURCE AT&T Inc.