Completes $85 Million Network Investment and Provides Support After Hurricanes
Katrina/Rita/Dennis
JACKSON, Miss., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The nation's largest wireless
carrier, Cingular Wireless, has completed its 2005 network investment and
reflects on a most memorable year.
Cingular has completed its 2005, $85 million in its Mississippi network
which included additional coverage and capacity via 37 new cell sites,
portable generators and back-up batteries, and roll out of new data features.
The local investment was part of Cingular's more than $1.5 billion Southeast
network capital investment and estimated $6.2 billion national network capital
expenditure program during 2005.
"Cingular's commitment to our customers in Mississippi is to meet - and
exceed -- their needs by continually upgrading and expanding our network and
by offering innovative products, services, customer-friendly initiatives and
community support second to none," said Doyle Warrington, Director of Sales
for Cingular's Central/North Mississippi markets. "I am pleased with the
progress we've made this year and look forward to taking it to the next level
for our customers even more in 2006."
Among other 2005 highlights for Cingular customers in the region were:
Cell Sites
Last year, Cingular announced plans to add an estimated 37 cell sites
across Mississippi in 2005. The cell site expansion effort has been
successfully completed, enabling the company to add new service or enhance
existing service throughout the region. Some recent cell site additions
include the following:
City of Oxford and Lafayette County (added 3 new cell sites in 2005)
* Enhanced coverage along Hwy 6 East of Oxford and going into Pontotoc
County
* Enhanced coverage along Hwy 30 between Oxford and New Albany
Cities of Biloxi/Gulfport and Harrison & Jackson Counties (added 4 new
sites in 2005)
* Increased coverage on Popps Ferry Road and in the city of Diberville.
* Increased coverage in Long Beach as well as the industrial park
* Increased coverage on Pass Road and at the Gulf Coast Community College.
City of Natchez and Adams County (added one new site in 2005)
* Increased coverage in downtown Natchez
City of Tupelo and Lee County (added one new site in 2005)
* Increased coverage in the Western part of Tupelo surrounding the
intersection of W. Main St. and Thomas St. in Tupelo
City of Jackson and Hinds & Rankin Counties (added three sites in 2005)
* Enhanced coverage near Hwy 468 and Hwy 469
* Enhanced coverage on Davis Road West of Byram between Siwell Road &
Springridge Road
City of Vicksburg and Warren County (added 2 cell sites in 2005)
* Increased coverage in the Fisher Ferry Road, Nailor Road and Goodrum
Road areas south of Vicksburg.
* Increased coverage along Hwy. 27 & the surrounding area between
Vicksburg, MS & the Hinds/Warren county line.
Cities of Madison and Ridgeland & Madison County (built one site in 2005)
* Increased coverage along Hwy 16 between Canton, MS and Farmhaven.
Recently, Cingular Wireless earned the Most Reliable network rating among
national wireless carriers in Tupelo and Meridian. This rating was based on
drive test results from a leading wireless research company that provides
information, insight and performance measurements for the wireless industry.
Community Service/Philanthropy
Most recently, the company partnered with a non-profit organization called
Invest Inc. to donate 10 bullet proof vests to law enforcement officers in
Gulfport/Biloxi. The vests were divided between the Gulfport Police
Department, Biloxi Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff's Office,
Longbeach Police Department and the PasChristian Police Department as many
officers lost their vests during the hurricanes and had no means of purchasing
new ones. Ten additional vests were donated to agencies in and around New
Orleans.
Hurricane Support
Hurricane Katrina - and its cousins, Rita, Dennis, Wilma and others --
devastated the Gulf States this summer and fall and Cingular provided
extensive support and assistance to various organizations helping victims of
the hurricanes.
Although more than 3,000 of Cingular's 5,000 employees in the Gulf States
were personally affected by the storms, the team worked tirelessly, and, in
many cases, heroically, to support the restoration efforts.
* Helped thousands of people reconnect with their loved ones, thanks to a
rapid restoration of Cingular's network and switching facilities. Although
the network was impacted and numerous stores in Louisiana, Mississippi and
Alabama were damaged during Katrina, most of our network and all but a
handful of stores were operational within just a few weeks.
* Cingular donated hundreds of thousands of minutes to hurricane victims
through free calling centers, phone donations to the American Red Cross
and evacuation shelters in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
* More than 2,300 Cingular stores nationwide served as collection centers
for the American Red Cross.
* The company established the Cingular Cares Fund, with a goal of raising
more than $5 million to be used to help victims of these and future
natural disasters.
* The company announced its participation in a temporary program
established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to offer free
phones and service to people affected by Hurricane Katrina. Visit
http://www.cingular.com/katrina_lifeline for more info.
"Our colleagues on the network team braved high waters and difficult
conditions. They lived where they worked - eating cold meals and sleeping on
flood water-dampened floors - all in order to restore our critical
communications infrastructure," said Scott Mann, Director of Sales for
Cingular's South Alabama/NW Florida/Mississippi Gulf Coast markets. "I've
never been more proud of, or more impressed by, our Cingular employees, who
showed devotion, dedication and commitment during horrific circumstances."
About Cingular Wireless
Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States,
serving 52.3 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(SM) network -- and the largest mobile-to-mobile community of any
national wireless carrier. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer
Rollover(SM), 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://www.cingular.com/newsroom .
SOURCE Cingular Wireless
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Related links:
http://www.cingular.com
CONTACT:
Dawn Benton of Cingular Wireless,
+1-404-236-5305 (office), or +1-404-202-6335 (wireless), or
Dawn.benton@cingular.com
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