AT&T Invests More Than $800 Million Over Three-Year Period To Enhance Local Networks In Wisconsin

Investment Expands Access to Nation's Most Reliable 4G LTE Network, AT&T U-verse Services; Brings Powerful Fiber-Optic Connections to More Wisconsin Businesses

News provided by

AT&T Inc.

Mar 11, 2014, 10:00 ET

MILWAUKEE, March 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* has invested more than $800 million in its best-in-class wireless and wired networks in Wisconsin 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 in 2013 made 600 network upgrades in Wisconsin, including 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 21,000 new customer locations and delivering powerful fiber-optic connections to 1,900 business locations at 95 multi-tenant business buildings and business parks.

"Wisconsin residents depend on our fast and reliable Internet connections more and more every day, whether it's instant access to files and apps at work, watching a video at home, or even receiving updates from connected cars or home monitors," said Scott T. VanderSanden, President of AT&T Wisconsin. "AT&T is making robust investments locally to make sure that residents can take full advantage of the latest services and tools, and that businesses have the speed they need to compete and grow."

Notable Wisconsin network enhancements in 2013 included:

LTE service in Fond du Lac, Appleton, Oshkosh, Stevens Point, Lake Geneva, Fort Atkinson, Watertown and Madison.
A distributed antenna system (DAS) at the Milwaukee festival grounds.
Acquisition of 32 cell sites in Brown, Door, Sheboygan, Manitowoc and Kewaunee counties.
37 new cell sites across Wisconsin.

"Continued investment in fast and reliable Internet connectivity is critical for both quality of life and economic growth in Wisconsin," said State Representative Mike Kuglitsch, Chairman of the Wisconsin Assembly Committee on Energy and Utilities. "Enhanced wireless and wired connectivity is an important benefit for residents, and the expansion of fiber-optic connections helps to level the playing field for small and mid-sized businesses 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.** In 2013, several markets in Wisconsin were added to AT&T's extensive LTE network, including:

Fond du Lac
Appleton
Oshkosh
Stevens Point
Lake Geneva
Fort Atkinson
Watertown
Madison

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.*** AT&T U-verse TV 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.

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 Wisconsin 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.
** Reliability claim based on data transfer completion rates on nationwide 4G LTE networks. LTE is a trademark of ETSI. 4G LTE not available everywhere.
*** Geographic and service restrictions apply to AT&T U-verse services. Call or go to www.att.com/u-verse to see if you qualify.
**** 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.

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SOURCE AT&T Inc.