AT&T Upgrades Network In Chesapeake Arena

OKLAHOMA CITY, May 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* customers now have enhanced wireless connectivity in Chesapeake Arena thanks to the company's utilization of a Distributed Antenna System (DAS) in the facility.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120612/DA23287LOGO)

In addition to ensuring voice calls are successfully connected, the DAS is expected to result in faster download and upload speeds for AT&T customers using tablets, smartphones and other devices in the arena.

"Our goal is to provide our customers with a best in class network experience, no matter where they are," said Steve Gray, vice president and general manager for AT&T Oklahoma and Arkansas. "With crowds topping 18,000 in the arena on game day, it was important for us to complete this upgrade, allowing our customers to truly live mobile."

AT&T technicians have been working to integrate the company's 4G LTE technology with the DAS already in place in the arena. The work was completed in April, and the network was tested during playoff games in the arena on Sunday and Wednesday. AT&T launched 4G LTE in the Oklahoma City area in 2011. AT&T 4G LTE is the latest generation of wireless network technology and provides faster mobile Internet speeds and improved performance on a variety of mobile smartphones and tablets. 

"These enhancements will allow basketball fans and others who attend events in Chesapeake Arena to share their experiences, inside and outside the arena, on their mobile devices," said Bryan Gonterman, president of AT&T Oklahoma. "We want to enable the thousands of NBA fans and concert-goers to use their wireless devices to capture memories made and to share those memories on a global scale."

AT&T has further beefed up its network by providing a Cell On Wheels (COW) device outside the arena. The company utilizes COWs to provide additional network capacity during large events expected to generate a spike in network traffic.

"The world will be watching Oklahoma City throughout the playoffs," said Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett. "From our friendly people to our incredible attractions and restaurants, visitors are typically blown away by the Oklahoma City experience. We want basketball fans to be able to share the great experience they have in Oklahoma City on their mobile devices. AT&T's network investment will allow them to do that, and that will only help drive tourism and business to our state."

AT&T's 4G Network
The AT&T 4G network** is the nation's largest, covering more than 292 million people with ultra-fast speeds and a more consistent user experience. AT&T's 4G LTE network delivers speeds faster than many other mobile Internet technologies^***, as well as multiple innovations that optimize the network for performance. The company has deployed two compatible 4G technologies to deliver more speed to more smartphone customers, which means AT&T customers can get 4G speeds outside of 4G LTE areas on 4G HSPA+, unlike some competitors, where smartphone customers may fall back to slower 3G technologies when outside of LTE coverage.

For more information about AT&T's coverage in Oklahoma 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.

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 largest 4G 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 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.

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.

© 2013 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. 4G not available everywhere. 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. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

*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.

**4G speeds not available everywhere. 

^***Limited 4G LTE availability in select markets. 4G speeds delivered by LTE, or HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul, where available. Deployment ongoing. Compatible device and data plan required.  LTE is a trademark of ETSI. Learn more about 4G LTE at att.com/network.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.