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Whether it's sharing videos and photos with friends, watching a movie, surfing the Web, or listening to the latest music on your cool new wireless device or laptop computer, we're delivering the network to help you meet your ever-growing mobile needs.

AT&T has continued to drive investment and innovation to deliver the nation’s best mobile broadband experience for customers. With the nation's fastest 3G network, the largest Wi-Fi network, the ability to talk and surf the Internet at the same time, and the most popular smartphones, AT&T is the best choice for wireless voice and data services in the country.

We deliver 3G mobile to 360 U.S. major metropolitan areas today. In 2009, we deployed high-quality 850 MHz spectrum in hundreds of markets to support 3G services. This additional spectrum expands overall network capacity and improves in-building reception. We’re also deploying the next generation of 3G technology — HSPA 7.2 – as well as thousands of new backhaul connections, which combined will deliver a considerable boost in 3G speeds.

And we're continuing to invest to build the broadband networks that will bring you quick access the content, applications and services that matter most. In 2010, we plan to spend between $18 billion and $19 billion in total capital expenditures, a 5 to 10 percent increase over 2009, including an increase of approximately $2 billion in wireless network and backhaul investment over 2009. These enhancements are designed to ensure that our customers reap all the benefits of the nation's fastest wireless 3G network and the widest array of mobile devices and applications.

Visit often to learn the latest AT&T wireless network news.

The Nation's Fastest 3G Network

How do you make a blazing-fast 3G mobile broadband network even better? You make it faster by deploying the latest in wireless technology and supporting it with the largest backbone network in the world.

AT&T recently completed a software upgrade at 3G cell sites nationwide that prepares the nation’s fastest 3G network for even faster speeds. The deployment of High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 technology is the first of multiple initiatives in AT&T’s network enhancement strategy designed to provide customers with the best possible mobile broadband experience, both today and well into the future. 

Faster 3G speeds are scheduled to become available during 2010 and 2011, as AT&T combines the new technology with our second initiative to dramatically increase the number of high-speed backhaul connections to cell sites, primarily with fiber-optic connections, adding capacity from cell sites to the AT&T backbone network. 

With 3G, not only can you surf the Web and download files faster, but also experience the very latest interactive mobile applications. As innovative new applications like these continue to emerge, we'll continue to expand and enhance the network to give you the most out of your mobile devices.

We will also continue to evolve the network toward next generation technologies like Long-Term Evolution (LTE) to deliver higher speeds and capacity in the years to come.

Spectrum

More spectrum can make for better performance and reliability. And today, AT&T's spectrum holdings will help us to enhance further the quality and reliability of existing wireless broadband and voice services, and to set the foundation for new-generation wireless broadband technologies and services.

We currently provide wireless service using the 1900 MHz and 850 MHz frequency ranges, with additional spectrum targeted for additional 3G coverage this year. We also acquired newly-available spectrum in the 700 MHz range — previously used for analog television broadcasting — which gives us greater spectrum depth and flexibility to help us meet your increasing demands for mobile services including voice, data and video.

But beyond that, we're doing more to efficiently manage our airwaves to bring you more – we're deploying faster wireless network technology to provide faster access and will continue to evolve as demands grow for services.

Coverage

We continue to expand our coverage throughout the country and will continue to invest aggressively as part of our mission to deliver the No. 1 mobile broadband experience in 2010 and beyond.

This year, we plan to increase 3G speeds via our HSPA 7.2 upgrade and backhaul rollout while adding thousands of new cell sites to enhance wireless coverage and capacity.

For more information about AT&T's wireless coverage anywhere in the United States, visit our online Wireless Network Coverage Viewer. The online tool can measure the quality of coverage based on a street address, intersection, ZIP code or even a landmark.

Technology

AT&T's wireless network is based on the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) family of technologies that includes GSM and UMTS, the most open and widely-used wireless network platforms in the world. This dominant technology means that AT&T customers benefit from global roaming capability, prioritized research and development, the best options in cutting-edge devices, and smoother evolution to newer technologies.

It also means that AT&T offers 3G data roaming in more than 115 countries, as well as voice services in more than 220 countries.

The GSM/UMTS platform enables continued enhancement of 3G speeds as we evolve to the next generation of technologies. In fact, with our even faster 3G technology, followed by the planned roll-out of LTE technology next year, our customers will have access to the best combination of speed, performance, coverage and available devices for years to come.

While techie terms like GSM, 3G, EDGE, HSPA and LTE may not mean much to most wireless customers, AT&T works behind the scenes with this alphabet soup of technology to deliver the network experience that you want.

• The Best Technology
• Network Technology

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