LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Nov. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- At
AT&T1, we've invested nearly $625 million in our Arkansas wireless and wired networks during
2016-2018. These investments boost reliability, coverage, speed and
overall performance for residents and businesses. We've improved
critical services that support Public Safety and first responders
using the FirstNet communications platform. And, we've helped meet
the needs of customers in largely rural areas through our
participation in the FCC's Connect America Fund.
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 second quarter 2019 results from tests
taken with Speedtest® and analyzed by
Ookla®. 2
In 2018, AT&T made more than 900 wireless network upgrades
in Arkansas, including new cell
sites and additional network capacity.
"Our investments in Arkansas
enhance coverage for our customers and FirstNet subscribers," said
Ronald Dedman, president of AT&T
Arkansas. "We are dedicated to the communities we serve, and our
ongoing investments help to keep Arkansans connected when and where
they need it most."
"AT&T's continued investment in Arkansas' communications infrastructure drives
business growth and economic opportunity across our
state. Robust connectivity benefits every aspect of our
economy," Arkansas Secretary of
Commerce Mike Preston said.
Following the passage of recent state legislation, AT&T will
continue its investment in Arkansas with additional upgrades.
By building out our 4G LTE network, we're boosting network
speeds and capacity, as we continue to expand the availability of
our network and upgrade our technology.
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.
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.
Building upon our current and planned investments in
Arkansas, 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 multiple locations in Arkansas, including Little Rock, Fayetteville, Springdale, Jonesboro, Conway, Bentonville, Rogers, Van
Buren, Hot Springs,
Pine Bluff, Texarkana, Fort
Smith, Stuttgart and
West Helena. 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.
- Arkansas first responders
enjoy the fastest overall experience on FirstNet, compared to any
commercial network, 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 72 dedicated 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.
Our commitment to rural America
Through our
participation in the FCC's Connect America Fund universal service
program, AT&T has been helping to meet the connectivity needs
of customers in largely rural areas and to expand the opportunities
enabled by internet access. By the end of 2020, AT&T will have
used funds from this FCC program to help deploy, maintain and offer
internet access and voice services to more than 1.1 million mostly
rural homes and small business locations in FCC-identified areas.
By the end of 2018, we offered high-speed internet access to over
31,000 locations across Arkansas
in mostly rural areas through technologies like Fixed Wireless
Internet.
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 Arkansas, or anywhere in the U.S., visit the
AT&T Coverage Viewer. For updates on the AT&T wireless
network, please visit 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
Q2 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 a range of TV and video products, 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 Q2 2019.
***GWS OneScore, September 2019.
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SOURCE AT&T