AT&T Prepares for Surge in Wireless Data Traffic During NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four

ST. LOUIS, March 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Whether posting a photo of tipoff on your online profile or texting rivals when the home team scores the winning shot, women’s basketball fans are going to be relying on their wireless devices when they converge on downtown St. Louis for the 2009 NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four. AT&T* today announced the addition of a new cell tower and added voice and data capacity to help handle the unusually high levels of voice and data usage that will occur during the action packed week.

Inside the Scottrade Center, which is hosting the tournament, AT&T has increased its 2G voice and data capacity by more than 60 percent. In addition to the existing cell sites that are already geared to handle special events, AT&T also has added an additional third-generation (3G) mobile broadband cell site inside the center to handle the unusually high levels of voice and data usage that are expected. AT&T’s 3G network is the nation’s fastest, according to data compiled by leading independent wireless research firms.

“We’re preparing for some very high data-usage levels on our local network,” said Nancy Garvey, vice president and general manager, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets in the Greater Midwest. “With the popularity of the iPhone 3G and our Video Share service, we expect that many visitors will be taking advantage of our network to send photos and video from the games. We’ve enhanced our network to ensure that our customers enjoy a seamless experience during the upcoming events.”

Across its national footprint, AT&T is investing billions of dollars to build the advanced broadband networks, both wired and wireless, that will create jobs and fuel economic growth.

To find out more details about AT&T’s wireless coverage in the St. Louis area or anywhere in the United States, consumers can go to http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/. The online tool provides up-to-date wireless coverage information for specific locations. The tool can measure the quality of coverage based on a street address, intersection, ZIP code or even a landmark.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world’s most advanced IP-based business communications services, the nation’s fastest 3G network and the best wireless coverage worldwide, and the nation’s leading high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of their three-screen integration strategy, AT&T operating companies are expanding their TV entertainment offerings. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE(R) magazine’s list of the World’s Most Admired Companies. 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.

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SOURCE AT&T Inc.