AT&T 4G LTE Available in Asheville

Customers to benefit from nation’s fastest 4G LTE network on the latest devices

Asheville, North Carolina, May 29, 2013

AT&T* has turned on the nation’s fastest 4G LTE network** in Asheville, bringing customers the latest generation of wireless network technology.

“Broadband technology keeps people connected and brings new opportunities, both in terms of improved education, and new jobs,” said state Senator Martin Nesbitt (D-Buncombe). “This new 4G network will increase access to broadband and assure that North Carolinians will not be trapped on the wrong side of the digital divide.”

“There’s no question that private sector investment in technology is vital to stimulating economic growth and attracting new jobs,” said state Rep. Tim Moffitt (R-Buncombe). “All of us rely more and more each day on mobile communication to stay connected, keep informed and to do business; this announcement by AT&T will help us compete with even larger cities in attracting new talent. Asheville is already such a great place to live — this new connectivity will make us even better.”

Watch here to see several of the benefits AT&T 4G LTE provides, including:

• Faster speeds. LTE technology is capable of delivering speeds faster than many other mobile Internet technologies***. Customers can stream, download, upload and game faster than ever before.
• Cool new devices. AT&T offers several LTE-compatible devices, including new AT&T 4G LTE smartphones and tablets.
• Faster response time. LTE technology offers lower latency, or the processing time it takes to move data through a network, such as how long it takes to start downloading a webpage or file once you’ve sent the request. Lower latency helps to improve services like mobile gaming, two-way video calling and telemedicine.
• More efficient use of spectrum. Wireless spectrum is a finite resource, and LTE uses spectrum more efficiently than other technologies, creating more space to carry data traffic and services and to deliver a better network experience.

“We appreciate the dedicated work of Senator Nesbitt, Representative Moffitt and all their colleagues in the General Assembly in helping assure that all areas of North Carolina receive the benefits of advanced broadband technology,” said Kit Cramer, President & CEO of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce.  “Their efforts are impacting not just Western North Carolina, but the entire state, as we work to attract the new jobs and investments which will add even more to the great quality of life here.”

AT&T’s 4G Network

AT&T’s innovation and investment has resulted in the nation’s largest 4G network, covering more than 292 million people with ultra-fast speeds and a more consistent user experience. Our 4G LTE network delivered faster average download and upload speeds than any of our competitors in PCWorld/TechHive’s most recent 20-market speed tests.

“We continue to see demand for mobile Internet skyrocket, and our 4G LTE network in Asheville responds to what customers want from their mobile experience — more, faster, on the best devices,” said LaVoy Spooner, AT&T’s regional director of External Affairs in Asheville.

AT&T’s 4G LTE network delivers faster than many other mobile Internet technologies, as well as multiple innovations that optimize the network for performance. Our network’s radio components are placed close to the antenna at most cell sites, instead of inside the base station, which helps minimize power loss between the base station and antenna and, in turn, improves the performance of our 4G LTE network. The network also is designed with its core elements distributed across the country, which helps reduce latency, or the delay when using the Internet, because your request isn’t traveling as far.

Even as AT&T continues to expand its 4G LTE coverage, customers can get 4G speeds outside of 4G LTE areas on our 4G HSPA+ network, unlike some competitors, where smartphone customers may fall back to slower 3G technologies when outside of LTE coverage.

AT&T’s focus to deliver the best possible mobile Internet experience goes beyond 4G to embrace additional connection technologies. 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. Most AT&T smartphone customers get access to our entire national Wi-Fi network at no additional cost, and Wi-Fi usage doesn’t count against customers’ monthly wireless data plans.

AT&T also is a leading developer of Distributed Antenna Systems, which utilize multiple small antennas to maximize coverage and speed within stadiums, convention centers, office buildings, hotels and other areas where traditional coverage methods are challenging.

Over the past five years, AT&T invested nearly $98 billion into its operations across the country. Since 2008, AT&T has invested more capital into the U.S. economy than any other public company. In a July 2012 report, the Progressive Policy Institute ranked AT&T No. 1 on its list of U.S. “Investment Heroes.”

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