BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* has invested more than $1.35 billion in its best-in-class wireless and wired networks in Alabama between 2011 through 2013, driving a wide range of upgrades to enhance speed, reliability, coverage and performance for residents and business customers.

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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 957 network upgrades in Alabama, including new cell sites, addition of wireless and wired network capacity, and new broadband network connections. Additionally, AT&T expanded the reach of its network, providing access to U-verse(®) Internet and video services to more than 36,000 new customer locations and delivering powerful fiber-optic connections to 1,664 business locations at 81 multi-tenant business buildings and business parks.

"Expanding the availability of mobile Internet services across our state will help Alabama's citizens and businesses compete and thrive in a global marketplace," said Greg Canfield, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. "These investments are laying the technological foundation for continued economic growth and for new services and applications that will impact our lives in many areas, including education, medicine and commerce."

"AT&T's network investment is an investment in the economic future of Alabama," said State Representative Mike Hill. "Wider availability of mobile Internet service ensures that people across the state have access to the online services and applications they need to succeed at home and at work in a global economy. The pro-business policies of our state make such investments possible."

"Alabama 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 AT&T Alabama President Fred McCallum. "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."

AT&T provides the nation's most reliable 4G LTE network today, covering more than 280 million Americans with 4G LTE service. 4G LTE deployment is ahead of schedule; AT&T plans to be substantially complete with deployment by the summer of 2014. In 2013, several markets in Alabama were expanded or added to AT&T's extensive LTE network, including: Auburn-Opelika, Birmingham, Cullman, Decatur, Florence-Muscle Shoals, Greenville, Huntsville, Mobile, Monroeville-Evergreen, Montgomery, Troy, and Tuscaloosa.

AT&T U-verse is delivered over AT&T's advanced IP network and includes AT&T U-verse High Speed Internet, AT&T U-verse TV, and AT&T U-verse Voice.*** AT&T U-verse TV customers enjoy Total Home DVR(®), apps for entertainment on the go, and integrated features. AT&T was named Frost & Sullivan Video Company of the Year for 2013.

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 Alabama 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.

* 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.
*** Geographic and service restrictions apply to AT&T U-verse services. Call or go to www.att.com/u-verse to see if you qualify.
**** Largest based on company branded and operated hotspots.

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.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates - AT&T operating companies - are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and internationally. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's most reliable 4G LTE network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV service with the AT&T U-verse(®) brand. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com/aboutus or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/att and YouTube athttp://www.youtube.com/att.

(©) 2014 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.

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