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Cingular to Upgrade High-Speed Data Network

Posted on: Thursday, 2 December 2004, 09:00 CST

Cingular to upgrade high-speed data network

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cingular Wireless, the largest cellphone service provider in the United States, will upgrade its high-speed data network, allowing faster downloads than are now available on many home broadband connections, the New York Times reported Wednesday.

Cingular announced Tuesday that the upgrade will start at the end of 2005, and the network will be in place nationwide by 2006, according to the report.

The move will allow Cingular to keep pace with Verizon Wireless, the second-largest wireless phone company, which has the fastest data network, the report quoted industry analysts as saying.

Cingular did not say how much it would cost to upgrade its network. But industry executives said it could cost around one billion dollars, though that figure did not include other enhancements to the underlying network that may cost the company significantly more.

In October, Cingular Wireless closed its acquisition of AT&T Wireless, creating the nation's largest wireless company with 47 million subscribers.

Cingular said the acquisition gave it the additional radio spectrum necessary to deploy the high-speed network.

There is already vibrant competition among wireless companies to offer the fastest data service, which allows people to send and receive information over cellphones and with properly equipped laptop computers, the report said.

Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS

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