ST. LOUIS, Dec. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- At
AT&T1, we've invested more than $1.5 billion in our St.
Louis wireless and wired networks during 2016-2018. These
investments boost reliability, coverage, speed and overall
performance for residents and businesses. We've also improved
critical services that support Public Safety and first responders
using the FirstNet communications platform.
AT&T's wireless network covers more than 99% of all
Americans and has become the fastest wireless network in the
nation, according to the third quarter 2019 results from tests
taken with Speedtest® and analyzed by Ookla®.2
It also supports expanding 5G Evolution and LTE-LAA technologies
in St. Louis, which we launched in
2018. These technologies serve as a step in the path to 5G by
boosting the existing LTE network and priming it for the future of
connectivity.
In 2018 AT&T made 175 wireless network upgrades in the
St. Louis area, including new cell
sites, the addition of small cells and boosting network
capacity.
"AT&T's ongoing commitment to invest in state-of-the-art
technology helps St. Louis thrive
and attract new jobs and innovation," said Tom Chulick, president and CEO of the St. Louis
Regional Chamber. "AT&T's network not only provides crucial
high-tech infrastructure that makes business growth possible, it
also ensures that residents have the tools to stay connected and
entertained."
Additionally, for the 5th consecutive year we've landed on
Fortune magazine's list of the "World's Most Admired"
companies. It's also the 6th year in a row we've appeared on the
Global Top 50 list – no other telecom company made the Top 50.
Transforming Public Safety Communications
FirstNet is
Public Safety's dedicated, nationwide communications platform. It
is for all first responders – career and volunteer, urban, or
rural. It's bringing public safety communications into the 21st
century with new, innovative capabilities, helping first responders
connect to the critical information they need – every day and in
every emergency.
Building upon our current and planned investments in
St. Louis, we continue to extend
the reach and increase the capacity of the FirstNet communications
platform:
- Deployed Band 14 spectrum in more than 600 markets nationwide,
including St. Louis. Band 14 is
high-quality spectrum provided by the First Responder Network
Authority. Its signal covers larger geographic areas with less
infrastructure to better support rural communities, and it can
better reach in-building in more urban areas as compared to
higher-MHz spectrum.
- St. Louis first responders
enjoy the fastest overall experience on FirstNet, compared to any
commercial network in the nation, thanks to the specialized
capabilities enabled by the physically separate and dedicated
FirstNet network core, like always-on priority and
preemption.3
- Public safety agencies subscribed to FirstNet have 24/7 access
to a nationwide fleet of 75 deployable network assets. These assets
can either be deployed for planned events or called upon in
emergencies to help first responders stay connected and operate
faster, safer and more effectively when lives are on the line.
FirstNet is built with AT&T in a public-private partnership
with the First Responder Network Authority – an independent agency
within the federal government. This helps ensure that the FirstNet
communications platform and service offerings meet the short- and
long-term needs of the public safety community.
Our internet offerings
We
now market a 1
gigabit connection4 on our 100%
fiber network to more than 12 million locations
across 85 major metro areas nationwide. In the St. Louis area, we market our internet service
powered by AT&T Fiber to more than 290,000 customer
locations.
We plan to reach about 14 million locations across at least 85
metro areas by mid-2019 for consumers.
We are the largest U.S.-based provider of fiber for business
services. There are over 500,000 U.S. business buildings lit with
AT&T fiber, and we're adding thousands more each month.
Within those buildings, AT&T now enables high-speed fiber
connections to over 2.2 million U.S. business customer locations.
And if you count businesses near our fiber network, that number
quadruples. Nationwide, more than 8 million business customer
locations are on or within 1,000 feet of our fiber.5
To learn more about our wireless coverage in St. Louis or anywhere in the U.S., go to the
AT&T Coverage Viewer. For updates on the AT&T wireless
network, please go to the AT&T network news page.
1 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.
2 Based on analysis by
Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data average download speeds for
Q1 2019. Ookla trademarks used under license and reprinted with
permission.
3 Based on AT&T
analysis of Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® nationwide data average
download speeds for Q1 2019. Ookla trademarks used under license
and reprinted with permission.
4 Actual
customer speeds may vary. Download speeds are typically up to
940Mbps due to overhead capacity reserved to deliver the
data.
5 The over 2.2 million U.S.
business customer locations, which AT&T provides high-speed
fiber connections, is included within the 8M U.S. business customer locations on or within
1,000 feet of our fiber.
Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking
Statements
Information set forth in this news release
contains financial estimates and other forward- looking statements
that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results may
differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future
results is contained in AT&T's filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update or
revise statements contained in this news release based on new
information or otherwise.
About AT&T Communications
We help family, friends
and neighbors connect in meaningful ways every day. From the first
phone call 140+ years ago to mobile video streaming, we innovate to
improve lives. We have the nation's fastest wireless network.** And
according to America's biggest test, we have the nation's best
wireless network.*** We're building FirstNet just for first
responders and creating next-generation mobile 5G. With DIRECTV,
DIRECTV NOW and WatchTV, we deliver entertainment people love
to talk about. Our smart, highly secure solutions serve nearly 3
million global businesses – nearly all of the Fortune 1000. And
worldwide, our spirit of service drives employees to give back to
their communities.
AT&T Communications is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T). Learn
more at att.com/CommunicationsNews.
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. Additional information about
AT&T products and services is available at about.att.com.
Follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on Facebook at
facebook.com/att and on YouTube at youtube.com/att.
© 2019 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved.
AT&T, the Globe logo and other marks are trademarks and service
marks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated
companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of
their respective owners.
**Based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data
average download speeds for Q3 2019. Ookla trademarks used under
license and reprinted with permission.
***GWS OneScore, September 2019.
FirstNet® and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks of the
First Responder Network Authority.
To define a market, we rely on the Core Based Statistical Areas
(CBSA), as established by the United States Office of Management
and Budget. Minor differences, if any, between annual totals
reflect annual updating of market boundaries in our record
systems.
From FORTUNE Magazine. 2019 Time Inc. FORTUNE© and The World's
Most Admired Companies® are registered trademarks of Time Inc. and
are used under License. FORTUNE and Time Inc. are not affiliated
with, and do not endorse products or services of, AT&T.
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SOURCE AT&T Inc.