AT&T Expands Mobile Broadband Wireless Capacity and Enhances Coverage Throughout Minnesota State Fairgrounds
SAINT PAUL, Minn., Aug. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to ensure its customers have the best wireless experience possible, AT&T* is taking steps to enhance coverage at the Minnesota State Fair by deploying two COWs (Cell On Wheels) and adding additional carriers to enhance capacity at two existing cell sites serving the fairgrounds.
"AT&T is working to help ensure that customers who attend the Minnesota State Fair will have great coverage and fast data speeds for their smartphones and other mobile devices," said Hardmon Williams, AT&T vice president and general manager for Minnesota and the Northern Plains.
When large crowds gather for special events like the Minnesota State Fair, the wireless network has to handle a greatly increased amount of traffic. Deploying the COWs at the State Fairgrounds, one near the corner of Ligget Street and Carnes Avenue, and the other just off of Dan Patch Ave., between Underwood and Cooper Streets, enhances AT&T's network and provides a great wireless experience for customers at the fair.
In addition to the COWs, the permanent network enhancements add new layers of frequency, also known as "carriers," to two cell sites just outside the fairgrounds in Saint Paul, to more efficiently manage available spectrum and increase mobile broadband capacity. The carriers increase capacity surrounding the fairgrounds by 33 percent and will remain in place after the fair and improve capacity in areas such as Midway Stadium and the University of Minnesota St. Paul campus.
The expansion helps manage ever-growing demand for mobile broadband services by allocating more network resources for AT&T's mobile broadband network. AT&T is adding an additional carrier to each of two permanent cell sites serving the area.
AT&T's mobile broadband network is based on the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) family of technologies that includes GSM and UMTS, the most widely used wireless network platforms in the world. AT&T has the best international coverage of any U.S. wireless provider, providing access to voice service in more than 220 countries and data service in more than 200 countries.
AT&T also operates the nation's largest Wi-Fi network** with nearly 27,000 hotspots in the U.S. and provides access to nearly 190,000 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 Minnesota 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. Access includes AT&T Wi-Fi Basic. A Wi-Fi enabled device required. Other restrictions apply. See www.attwifi.com for details and locations.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, 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 services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T | DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising.
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SOURCE AT&T Inc.
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