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Ongoing Network Investment Enhances Customers' Wireless Service JACKSON, Miss., Oct. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingular Wireless continues to strengthen and expand its voice and data network across Mississippi with the addition of 30 new cell sites across the southern part of the state over the past 60 days. These new cell sites have increased wireless coverage and system capacity for customers in several smaller communities. Counties with new cell sites include: Lincoln, Copiah, Amite, Marion, Franklin, Wilkinson, Wayne, Jones, Perry, George, Forrest and Pearl River. The expansion is part of the nearly $90 million network investment in Mississippi this year. So far this year, Cingular has activated more than 77 new cell sites in the state. "Our customers want and expect high-quality wireless service, and we are working hard to bring advanced communications to consumers that live and travel through the outlying communities across this great state," said Scott Besselievre, director of sales for Cingular's Central/North Mississippi markets. "Whether you are surfing the net, holding a conference call, viewing the weather or instant messaging a friend, it all comes back to the strength of the network and Cingular is aggressively expanding and enhancing its network to boost system-wide coverage and performance." Cell sites added over the past 60 days include: Five in the Natchez Area have added coverage: * along Hwy. 61 between Woodville and the LA state line (Wilkinson County) * along Hwy. 98 between Roxie and Meadville (Western portion of Franklin County) * near intersections of Hwy. 24, Hwy. 48, Hwy. 567, and Hwy. 569 in Liberty (Western portion of Amite County) * along Hwy. 98 near Tate Rd. (Adams County) * near the intersection of Hwy. 98 and Old Hwy. 84 (Adams County) Eight in the Brookhaven and McComb Area have increased coverage: * along Hwy. 51 near Wesson, (Lincoln County & Copiah County) * along Hwy. 24 near Pray Road (Eastern portion of Amite County) * along Hwy. 35 South of Columbia (Marion County) * along Hwy. 35 near Hwy. 48 South of Columbia (Marion County) * along Hwy. 98 East of Tylertown near Upton Lane (Marion County) * along Hwy. 98 near Hwy. 35 West of Columbia (Marion County) * along Hwy. 84 between Brookhaven and Eddiceton (Eastern portion of Franklin County) * near the intersection of Hwy. 98 and Hwy. 569 (Lincoln County) Nine in the Hattiesburg and Laurel Area have enhanced wireless coverage: * in Mize and the intersections of Hwy 28 & Hwy 35 (Smith County) * along Hwy 84 West of Waynesboro near Eucutta Road (Wayne County) * North of Waynesboro along Hwy. 45 near Hiwanee (Wayne County) * along Hwy. 84 near Mozingo Richey Rd. West of Waynesboro (Wayne County) * along Hwy 98 in New Augusta (Perry County) * along Hwy 98 in Beaumont near Beaumont Brooklyn Road (Perry County) * along Hwy 42 East of Hattiesburg (Forrest County near the Perry County line) * along Hwy 63 South of Lucedale (George County) * along Hwy. 98 between McLain and Lucedale (Greene County) Six added in the Gulfport/Biloxi Area have expanded coverage: * along on I-59 and Hwy. 11 between Poplarville and Picayune, (Pearl River County) * East of Poplarville near I-59 and Hwy. 26 (Pearl River County) * in Lucedale and along Hwy. 98 (George County) * along Hwy. 98 near Hwy. 198 and Hwy. 63 in Lucedale (George County) * along Hwy. 98 Southeast of Lucedale near Hwy. 98 and Shipman Road (George County) Scott Mann, director of sales for Cingular's Mississippi Gulf Coast market added, "Once a new cell site is added, the work continues to ensure our enhancements are performing at the level they should. In fact, Cingular employees and third-party researchers constantly drive and walk test Cingular's network---nearly 30 million miles a year. It is this daily measuring and monitoring that allows us to identify any areas where we need to further strengthen our customers' wireless coverage." In 2005, Cingular invested more than $85 million in Mississippi on network improvements. 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. About Cingular Wireless Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving 57.3 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between AT&T 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 emailed to you automatically. Sign up at http://cingular.mediaroom.com/. DATASOURCE: Cingular Wireless CONTACT: Dawn Benton of Cingular Wireless, +1-404-236-5305, or +1-404-202-6335 (wireless), or Web site: http://www.cingular.com/ http://cingular.mediaroom.com/

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