Cingular Wireless Investing More Than $165 Million in Its Georgia Network in 2006
20 Mars 2006 - 2:36PM
PR Newswire (US)
- New Cell Sites, Enhanced Voice/Data Quality and Capacity for
ALLOVER(TM) Network ATLANTA, March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingular
Wireless, the nation's largest wireless carrier, is investing more
than $165 million in its Georgia network in 2006, bringing
customers improved wireless coverage, service and call quality. To
date, Cingular has invested nearly $2 billion in its Georgia
network deploying next-generation GSM/GPRS/EDGE technology,
preparing for its 3G (UMTS) deployment, integrating two massive
networks and improving overall coverage and capacity. The Georgia
network spans from the Georgia/Florida border up to and including
the markets of Hilton Head to Saint Helena Island continuing to
Augusta and Aiken, SC. The 2006 investment in Cingular's Georgia
network will bring approximately 167 new cell sites, the addition
of 230 new permanent generators, the rollout of its high-speed data
services, and overall capacity to Cingular's ALLOVER(TM) Network,
which is the nation's largest all-digital voice and data network.
"Our network is the foundation of our business and are continued
focus is ensuring Cingular customers have the best wireless
experience possible - which includes unmatched coverage and quality
of service," said Cliff Minor, vice president & general
manager, Cingular Wireless Georgia. "This network investment will
enable us to continue to bring residents of our home state of
Georgia the highest quality service available - service that is
enhanced by best-in-industry calling plan value and cutting-edge
devices." In 2005, Cingular invested more than $360 million here in
Georgia on network improvements which included the integration of
the former AT&T Wireless network. Nationwide, the company spent
approximately $6.5 billion on the network and will spend nearly
that in 2006, bringing its overall investment since the company's
2004 acquisition of AT&T Wireless to approximately $13 billion.
Significantly, Cingular also will launch its third-generation (3G)
wireless network technology in more than 20 Southeast cities this
year. With 3G, customers will access information and applications
at broadband speeds in the office, on the road or at home. The
service - via laptop data cards or 3G-compatible phones -- provides
average mobile data connections between 400- 700Kbps (kilobits per
second) on the downlink and bursts to more than a megabit per
second. Steve Sitton, Cingular's President for the Southeast Region
also commented on the significance of the investment, "Last year,
we invested over $1.8 billion in our network and added more than
780 cell sites in the Southeast Region alone and 2006 will be
another landmark year for the Southeast, for Georgia." Network
enhancements planned for 2006 in Georgia include: North Georgia -
Building more than 25 new cell sites to strengthen and expand
coverage in the following areas: Ranger, Ellijay, Blue Ridge,
Chatsworth, Cartersville, Cleveland, Dawsonville, Dahlonega, Homer,
Carnesville, Colbert, Hartwell, Commerce, Cedartown, Adairsville,
Rockmart and Rome Atlanta and Surrounding Areas - Building more
than 25 new cell sites to strengthen and expand coverage in the
following areas: the City of Atlanta, Decatur, Lithonia, Powder
Springs, Stone Mountain, Smyrna, Mableton, Buford, Canton,
Alpharetta, Good Hope, Carrollton, Griffin, Palmetto, Loganville,
Jefferson and Monroe. Middle Georgia - Building more than 10 new
cell sites to strengthen and expand coverage in the following
areas: Macon, Sandersville, Sharpsburg, Newnan, LaGrange, Dublin
and Perry. South and Coastal Georgia (includes markets in coastal
S.C.) - Building more than 100 new cell sites to strengthen and
expand coverage in the following areas: Albany, Americus, Valdosta,
Lumpkin, Windsor, Williston, between Vidalia and Uvalda,
Statesboro, Augusta, Savannah, Brunswick, Camden, St. Mary's,
Kingsland, Franklin, along the GA/FL Parkway and in Aiken,
Bluffton, Beaufort and Hilton Head, S.C. By the end of the first
quarter of 2006, Cingular will have completed the AT&T Wireless
network integration in more than 80 percent of its Southeast
cities. In Georgia, the network integration process is complete and
customers are hearing the difference. This extensive process
involved choosing the best cell sites from both networks,
eliminating duplicate equipment, and combining the technologies
onto a common network platform. Since the integration, there has
been a reduction in dropped and blocked calls and improved overall
quality of service. Network Testing Cingular diligently monitors
the quality and coverage of its network. In addition to third-party
vendors who assess the company's network performance, Cingular
network engineers constantly measure the effectiveness of its
network enhancements by drive and walk testing approximately one
million miles per year throughout Georgia. About Cingular Wireless
Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United
States, serving 54.1 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture
between AT&T Inc., formerly SBC Communications Inc., (NYSE:T),
and BellSouth Corporation (NYSE:BLS), has the largest digital voice
and data network in the nation -- the ALLOVER(TM) network -- and
the largest mobile-to-mobile community of any national wireless
carrier. Cingular is a leader in third generation wireless
technology. Its 3G network is the first widely available service in
the world to use HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access)
technology. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer
Rollover(R), the wireless plan that lets customers keep their
unused monthly minutes. Details of the company are available at
http://www.cingular.com/. Get Cingular Wireless press releases
e-mailed to you automatically. Sign up at
http://cingular.mediaroom.com/ DATASOURCE: Cingular Wireless
CONTACT: Dawn Benton of Cingular Wireless, +1-404-236-5305, or
wireless, +1-404-202-6335, or Web site: http://www.cingular.com/
http://cingular.mediaroom.com/
Copyright
Bellsouth (NYSE:BLS)
Graphique Historique de l'Action
De Juin 2024 à Juil 2024
Bellsouth (NYSE:BLS)
Graphique Historique de l'Action
De Juil 2023 à Juil 2024