Additional Carriers Expected to Improve Performance of Mobile Broadband Data and Voice Connectivity

KILLINGTON, Vt., Jan. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Just in time for the winter sports season, snow lovers visiting several popular Vermont mountains and ski resorts are expected to experience improved mobile broadband coverage and voice performance as a result of continued investment and innovation by AT&T*. The company announced today that it has completed a key initiative in its ongoing efforts to enhance the wireless capacity and performance of its mobile broadband network throughout the popular ski season towns of Killington, Stowe, Bolton, Ludlow and Wilmington.

The network enhancement adds new layers of frequency, also known as “carriers,” to eight cell sites throughout Vermont ski country to more efficiently manage available spectrum and increase mobile broadband capacity. The expansion helps manage ever-growing demand for mobile broadband services by allocating more network resources for AT&T’s mobile broadband network.

“Our goal is for our customers to have an extraordinary experience, whether they’re making calls to their snowboarding pals, surfing the web for the latest powder conditions, or texting photos taken from the ski lifts,” said Steve Krom, vice president and general manager for AT&T New England. “As part of the Vermont community, we’re always looking for new opportunities to provide an enhanced customer experience to residents and winter tourists alike, and our investment in the local wireless network is just one way we’re accomplishing that.”

“Access to the latest mobile broadband technology is important for our area,” said Vermont Senator Kevin Mullin. “Today’s announcement is good news for our local businesses and citizens, as well as the many visitors that will come to enjoy the winter season at Killington.”

Today’s announcement builds on the momentum established during AT&T’s recent wireless investments in Vermont. In 2011, AT&T added three new cell sites in Vermont, deployed enhanced backhaul connections to enable 4G speeds**, added capacity – or layers of frequency – to more than 110 cell sites and expanded its mobile broadband network by enhancing more than 75 cell sites.

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 225 countries and data service in more than 200 countries.

AT&T also operates the nation’s largest Wi-Fi network*** with more than 29,000 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 Vermont 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.

**4G speeds delivered by HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul. Available in limited areas. Availability increasing with ongoing backhaul deployment. 4G device required. Learn more at att.com/network.

*** 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 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 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?В® and AT&T ?В¦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.

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. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT.

2012 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. Mobile broadband not available in all areas. 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.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.