AT&T: 2.7 Billion Connections Made in 2012; Wi-Fi Network Growth Doubles

AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots Experience Notable Growth in Retail and Hospitality Locations

Dallas, Texas, February 26, 2013

Wi-Fi has become a necessity for the connected consumer, driving more than 2.7 Billion Wi-Fi connections made to the AT&T* Wi-Fi network in 2012. As consumers rely on Wi-Fi connectivity in their daily routine, businesses are continuing to harness the benefits of AT&T across more than 32,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spot locations.

AT&T Wi-Fi Key Facts for 2012:

• More than double the connections made to the AT&T Wi-Fi Network in 2012 versus 2011.
• AT&T’s Wi-Fi footprint grew 10 percent in 2012 with connections to venues growing by nearly 200 percent in the past year.
• 3X more mobile device traffic exchanged on the Wi-Fi network soaring over 5.2 billion MB in 2012.
• 40 percent more connections made in 4Q12 from mobile smartphone and tablet devices compared to 4Q11.
• 190 percent increase in mobile data uploads on the AT&T Wi-Fi network quarter-over-quarter.

“Wi-Fi works in tandem with our global network to keep people connected wherever they are. By providing this must-have connectivity at all types of locations, businesses can bring added value to the customer experience,” said Josh Goodell, Associate Vice President, AT&T Wi-Fi Services. “With connectivity to our Wi-Fi Network skyrocketing in 2012 by more than 1 billion connections year-over-year, Wi-Fi is a clear factor in mobile use, driving purchase decisions to enriched hospitality, fan and travel experiences.”

AT&T Wi-Fi Spotlight on Retail and Hospitality Locations:

Big box retailers and hotels are finding innovative solutions to enhance the Wi-Fi experience for employees and customers. In 2012, more than 7 billion minutes were spent connected at AT&T Wi-Fi retail locations. On average, each connection lasted 45 minutes.  With prolonged connectivity and data usage, Wi-Fi connectivity is impacting retail venues’ bottom line while satisfying a necessity – a reliable connection for customers and employees.

In hotels across the globe, AT&T added Wi-Fi to more than 95,000 guest rooms last year increasing connections by more than 225% in 2012. The AT&T Wi-Fi hospitality platform brings feature rich mass-scalable solutions to a diversified portfolio of properties dedicated to strengthening management and guest experiences for anytime online access.

AT&T operates the nation’s largest Wi-Fi network** including more than 32,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots at popular restaurants, hotels, bookstores and retailers, and provides access to more than 402,000 hotspots globally through roaming agreements.