AT&T Invests More Than $1.6 Billion Over Three-Year Period To Enhance Local Networks In North Carolina

Investment Expands Access to Nation's Strongest 4G LTE Signal, AT&T U-verse Services

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Mar 24, 2015, 08:30 ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* has invested more than $1.6 billion in its best-in-class wireless and wired networks in North Carolina between 2012 through 2014, driving a wide range of upgrades to reliability, coverage, speed and performance for residents and business customers.

"Access to cutting-edge ICT services is increasingly part of the infrastructure that businesses seek out in a new location, so strong private investment in state-of-the-art communications provides the technological foundation for North Carolina's continued economic growth," said Chris Chung, CEO of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. "Investments like AT&T's also help keep our state a great place to live by enabling applications that open new opportunities in so many areas, such as education, medicine and commerce."

As part of its Project Velocity IP (VIP), an investment plan focused on network enhancement and expansion, AT&T in 2014 made more than 400 network upgrades in North Carolina, including more than 120 new cell sites and more than 235 new broadband network connections.

"With a growing range of connected home appliances, cars and wearable devices, we depend more on network connectivity than ever before," said Venessa Harrison, president, AT&T North Carolina. "AT&T's continued investment in North Carolina brings a host of new, innovative opportunities for residents and businesses to connect with each other and their customers."

Notable network enhancements in 2014 included the launch of U-verse with AT&T GigaPower in parts of Raleigh-Durham and Winston-Salem. The service provides ultra-fast Internet speeds up to 1 gigabit per second. Plans also are underway to bring it to Charlotte and Greensboro.

AT&T also expanded its U-verse residential and small business Internet, television and telephone service across the state, including:

Nearly 9,500 new customer locations in Charlotte, Gastonia and Rock Hill
Nearly 10,500 new customer locations in Greensboro and High Point
Nearly 6,000 new customer locations in Raleigh and Cary

AT&T provides the nation's most reliable 4G LTE network today, covering more than 300 million Americans with 4G LTE service.** AT&T's network also has the nation's strongest LTE signal.***

AT&T* was recently recognized by FORTUNE magazine as the Most Admired Telecommunications Company in the world in 2015. Additionally, FORTUNE ranked AT&T #47 among all companies in all industries in its list of the Top 50 Most Admired companies in the world. FORTUNE's Most Admired Companies lists are among the most highly respected indicators of corporate performance and reputation.

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 recently received three Women's Choice Awards® as "America's Most Recommended Brand Among Women for Broadband, Television and Phone Service Provider." Frost & Sullivan recognized AT&T for its leadership in high-speed Internet services with the 2015 North American Competitive Strategy and Innovation Leadership of the Year Award for Broadband, AT&T U-verse TV with the 2015 North American Company of the Year for Multichannel Video for its growth, innovation, and leadership, and the 2015 North American Company of the Year for Consumer Communication Services.

AT&T announced a major initiative in 2014 to expand the availability of U-verse with AT&T GigaPower^SMin up to 25 markets nationwide. Hundreds of thousands of customer locations across parts of Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Kansas City, Raleigh-Durham and Winston-Salem are able to sign-up for ultra-fast speeds up to 1 gigabit per second. AT&T has since announced it will deliver the AT&T GigaPower network to an additional 11 markets: Atlanta; Charlotte and Greensboro, N.C.; Chicago; Cupertino, Calif.; Houston; Jacksonville, Fla.; Miami, Fla.; Nashville, Tenn.; St. Louis and San Antonio.

AT&T operates an extensive Wi-Fi network including more than 34,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots at popular restaurants, hotels, bookstores and retailers, and provides access to more than 1 million Hot Spots 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.*****

If the AT&T-DirecTV merger is approved by regulators, the combined companies will have an opportunity to redefine the video entertainment industry by delivering content to consumers across multiple screens – mobile devices, TVs, laptops, the backseat displays of connected cars, and even airplanes. AT&T has also committed to expand and enhance its deployment of both wireline and fixed wireless high-speed Internet to cover at least 15 million customer locations across 48 states – most of them in underserved rural areas.

For more information about AT&T's coverage in North Carolina 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 analysis of independent third party data re nationwide carriers' 4G LTE. LTE is a trademark of ETSI. 4G LTE not available everywhere.
***Claim based ONLY on avg LTE signal strength for national carriers
**** 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.
*****A Wi-Fi enabled device is required. Other restrictions apply. See attwifi.com for details and locations.
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.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Information set forth in this news release contains financial estimates and other forward- looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update or revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.

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 Globe logo and other marks are trademarks and service marks 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 LTE 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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