AT&T invested more than $150 million in its West Virginia wireless and wireline networks from 2010 through 2012, with a focus on expanding 4G mobile Internet coverage and enhancing the overall performance of its networks.
AT&T has made nearly 375 wireless network upgrades in six key categories in West Virginia during 2012, including activating new cell sites, adding capacity, upgrading cell sites to provide fast 4G mobile Internet speeds, deploying high-capacity Ethernet connections to cell sites, and adding or upgrading Distributed Antenna Systems, which boost wireless coverage and capacity in buildings and at major venues like convention halls or sports arenas.
“Broadband access is a priority we often hear about as we travel around the state, no matter the location, because it is such a powerful driver for economic development,” said Rick Thompson, Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates. “This investment by AT&T to expand its mobile Internet network will help more people and businesses stay connected in today’s fast-moving technological world.”
“We know our customers depend on us for fast, reliable mobile Internet connections at home, work and everywhere in between,” said Erika K. Thompson-Kemp, AT&T vice president general manager for Virginia and West Virginia. “Delivering for our West Virginia customers is a top priority and our ongoing investment here is designed to deliver a superior mobile Internet experience, encompassing speed, coverage and reliability.”
“Across West Virginia, this robust investment in the AT&T wireless and wireline networks is important to spurring the economy and creating jobs. In our wireless world, mobile and broadband networks help create economic opportunities for health care, manufacturing, education, transportation and public safety and virtually every other economic sector,” said J. Michael Schweder, President, AT&T Mid-Atlantic.
Planned Investment to Expand Reach of Wireless and Wired Broadband
AT&T recently launched Project Velocity IP (VIP), a three-year investment initiative to expand and enhance its wireless and wired IP broadband networks. As part of Project VIP, AT&T plans to increase the density of its wireless network by deploying more than 10,000 macro sites, more than 1,000 distributed antenna systems, and more than 40,000 small cells. Through this initiative, we also plan to:
- Expand 4G LTE to cover more than 300 million people by year-end 2014
- Expand the AT&T wired IP broadband network to cover approximately 75 percent of customer locations in our wired service area by year-end 2015
- Expand the AT&T fiber network to reach 1 million additional business locations by year-end 2015
For more information about AT&T’s coverage in West Virginia or anywhere in the U.S., consumers can visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer. Using the online tool, AT&T customers can measure quality of coverage from a street address, intersection, ZIP code or even a landmark. For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit the AT&T network news page.
