Cingular Wireless Investing More Than $165 Million in Its Georgia Network in 2006
Cingular Wireless is investing more than $165 million in its Georgia network in 2006, bringing customers improved wireless coverage, service and call quality. To date, Cingular has invested nearly $2 billion in its Georgia network deploying next-generation GSM/GPRS/EDGE technology, preparing for its 3G (UMTS) deployment, integrating two massive networks and improving overall coverage and capacity. The Georgia network spans from the Georgia/Florida border up to and including the markets of Hilton Head to Saint Helena Island continuing to Augusta and Aiken, SC.
The 2006 investment in Cingular’s Georgia network will bring approximately 167 new cell sites, the addition of 230 new permanent generators, the rollout of its high-speed data services, and overall capacity to Cingular’s ALLOVER(TM) Network, which is the nation’s largest all-digital voice and data network.
“Our network is the foundation of our business and are continued focus is ensuring Cingular customers have the best wireless experience possible - which includes unmatched coverage and quality of service,” said Cliff Minor, vice president & general manager, Cingular Wireless Georgia. “This network investment will enable us to continue to bring residents of our home state of Georgia the highest quality service available - service that is enhanced by best-in-industry calling plan value and cutting-edge devices.”
In 2005, Cingular invested more than $360 million here in Georgia on network improvements which included the integration of the former AT&T Wireless network. Nationwide, the company spent approximately $6.5 billion on the network and will spend nearly that in 2006, bringing its overall investment since the company’s 2004 acquisition of AT&T Wireless to approximately $13 billion.
Significantly, Cingular also will launch its third-generation (3G) wireless network technology in more than 20 Southeast cities this year. With 3G, customers will access information and applications at broadband speeds in the office, on the road or at home. The service - via laptop data cards or 3G-compatible phones — provides average mobile data connections between 400- 700Kbps (kilobits per second) on the downlink and bursts to more than a megabit per second.
Steve Sitton, Cingular’s President for the Southeast Region also commented on the significance of the investment, “Last year, we invested over $1.8 billion in our network and added more than 780 cell sites in the Southeast Region alone and 2006 will be another landmark year for the Southeast, for Georgia.”
Network enhancements planned for 2006 in Georgia include:
North Georgia
- Building more than 25 new cell sites to strengthen and expand coverage
in the following areas: Ranger, Ellijay, Blue Ridge, Chatsworth,
Cartersville, Cleveland, Dawsonville, Dahlonega, Homer, Carnesville,
Colbert, Hartwell, Commerce, Cedartown, Adairsville, Rockmart and Rome
Atlanta and Surrounding Areas
- Building more than 25 new cell sites to strengthen and expand coverage
in the following areas: the City of Atlanta, Decatur, Lithonia, Powder
Springs, Stone Mountain, Smyrna, Mableton, Buford, Canton, Alpharetta,
Good Hope, Carrollton, Griffin, Palmetto, Loganville, Jefferson and
Monroe.
Middle Georgia
- Building more than 10 new cell sites to strengthen and expand coverage
in the following areas: Macon, Sandersville, Sharpsburg, Newnan,
LaGrange, Dublin and Perry.
South and Coastal Georgia (includes markets in coastal S.C.)
- Building more than 100 new cell sites to strengthen and expand coverage
in the following areas: Albany, Americus, Valdosta, Lumpkin, Windsor,
Williston, between Vidalia and Uvalda, Statesboro, Augusta, Savannah,
Brunswick, Camden, St. Mary’s, Kingsland, Franklin, along the GA/FL
Parkway and in Aiken, Bluffton, Beaufort and Hilton Head, S.C.
By the end of the first quarter of 2006, Cingular will have completed the AT&T Wireless network integration in more than 80 percent of its Southeast cities. In Georgia, the network integration process is complete and customers are hearing the difference. This extensive process involved choosing the best cell sites from both networks, eliminating duplicate equipment, and combining the technologies onto a common network platform. Since the integration, there has been a reduction in dropped and blocked calls and improved overall quality of service.