Cingular Wireless Completes $400 Million Investment in Gulf States Market During 2006

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Cingular Wireless Completes $400 Million Investment in Gulf States Market During 2006 - Delivers Wireless Innovation
  New AT&T unit launched high-speed wireless network in three Gulf States
                                   cities

    BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Jan. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingular Wireless, the
nation's largest wireless carrier and now part of the new AT&T, spent
nearly $400 million in improving and expanding services in the company's
Gulf States market which includes Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and
Northwest Florida during 2006. These local investments, part of an
estimated $6 billion national network capital expenditure program in 2006,
include:
     * Alabama/NW Florida- completed $145 million investment and added 34 cell
       sites in 2006.

     * Louisiana- completed $165 million investment and added 53 cell sites in
       2006.

     * Mississippi- completed $90 million investment and added 94 cell sites
       in 2006.
    Last year, AT&T's wireless unit added high-speed 3G (third-generation)
service in Birmingham, Baton Rouge and New Orleans; built 181 new cell
sites; added network capacity; and completed the integration of the
company's cell sites with those of the former AT&T Wireless, acquired in
2004, to establish a single, enhanced network. The impact of the network
integration was improved coverage and expansion of network services in just
a few months that otherwise would have taken up to five years to achieve.
    "2006 has proven to be an unprecedented year for us in the Gulf States
market," said Joe Larussa, vice president and general manager for AT&T's
wireless operations for the AL/LA/MS/NWFL market. "We completed a major
expansion initiative and added our 3G network in several markets and that's
an exceptional achievement that positions us- and our customers- for the
future."
    Over the last two years, the company has invested more than $13.5
billion nationally in an aggressive program to upgrade and expand wireless
service and now gives customers access to some 45,000 cell sites.
    Larussa added, "And now as part of AT&T, in 2007 we will continue our
momentum and focus on delivering our customers, throughout the region, with
a strong network and pleasant in-store customer experience. We are well
positioned to deliver on these promises with more than 2,500 cell sites in
the region."
    AT&T's new 3G service is based on High-Speed Data Packet Access (HSDPA)
technology. The wireless unit's 3G network is the first widely available
service in the world to use HSDPA. The 3G network allows high-speed access
to cell phones designed for the higher speed, as well as process wireless
data over high-speed-capable phones or on a laptop. Customers can now more
quickly access e-mail, browse the internet, connect to business
applications, or watch video clips while on-the-go.
    The company's 3G wireless network allows customers to download at
average data speeds between 400-700 Kbps (kilobits per second) on the
downlink, with bursts to more than one megabit per second. Nationwide, 3G
service is available in more than 165 markets.
    About AT&T
    AT&T Inc. is a premier communications holding company in the United
States and around the world, with operating subsidiaries providing services
under the AT&T brand. AT&T is the recognized world leader in providing
IP-based communications services to business and the U.S. leader in
providing wireless, high speed Internet access, local and long distance
voice, and directory publishing and advertising services. As part of its
"three screen" integration strategy, AT&T is expanding video entertainment
offerings to include such next-generation television services as AT&T
U-verse(SM) TV. 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.
    AT&T is a registered trademark of AT&T Knowledge Ventures. Subsidiaries
and affiliates of AT&T Inc. provide products and services under the AT&T
brand. For more information, please review this announcement in the AT&T
newsroom at http://www.att.com/newsroom.
    This AT&T news release and other announcements are available as part of
an RSS feed at http://www.att.com/rss.
SOURCE Cingular Wireless
http://www.cingular.com
CONTACT:
Dawn Benton of Cingular Wireless,
+1-404-236-5305, +1-404-202-6335 (wireless),
Dawn.benton@cingular.com