AT&T Invests Nearly $850 Million Over Three-Year Period to Enhance Local Networks in Connecticut

 AT&T has invested nearly $850 million in its best-in-class wireless and wired networks in Connecticut between 2011 and 2013, driving a wide range of upgrades to enhance speed, reliability, coverage and performance for residents and business customers.

Advancing its Project Velocity IP (VIP), an investment plan to expand and enhance its wireless and wired IP broadband networks, AT&T in 2013 made nearly 160 network upgrades in Connecticut, including new cell sites, addition of wireless and wired network capacity, and new broadband network connections.

“Connecticut residents depend on our fast and reliable Internet connections more and more every day, whether it’s instant access to files and apps at work, watching a video at home, or even receiving updates from connected cars or home monitors,” said John Emra, President, AT&T Connecticut. “AT&T is making robust investments locally to make sure that residents can take full advantage of the latest services and tools, and that businesses have the speed they need to compete and grow.”

Notable Connecticut network enhancements in 2013 included:

· Launching AT&T’s 4G LTE network Torrington and Willimantic

· Expanding AT&T’s 4G LTE network to more areas in Hartford, New Haven, Litchfield, Waterbury and Meriden

· Installing a 4G LTE-capable Distributed Antenna System at Yale School of Medicine.

· Deploying a Cell on Wheels (COW) and free Wi-Fi for AT&T customers to the Durham Fair

“Continued investment in fast and reliable Internet connectivity is critical for both quality of life and economic growth in Connecticut,” said Robert W. Santy, President and CEO, Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Inc. (CERC)  “Enhanced wireless and wired connectivity is an important benefit for residents, and the expansion of fiber-optic connections helps to level the playing field for small and mid-sized businesses across the state.”

AT&T provides the nation’s most reliable 4G LTE network today, covering more than 280 million Americans with 4G LTE service. In 2013, several markets in Connecticut were added to AT&T’s extensive LTE network, including Torrington and Willimantic.

AT&T operates the nation’s largest Wi-Fi network including more than 32,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots at popular restaurants, hotels, bookstores and retailers, and provides access to more than 529,000 hotspots globally through roaming agreements. Most AT&T smartphone customers get access to our entire national Wi-Fi network at no additional cost, and Wi-Fi usage doesn’t count against customers’ monthly wireless data plans.

For more information about AT&T’s coverage in Connecticut or anywhere in the United States, consumers can visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer.  For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit the AT&T network news page.