ANCHORAGE, Alaska, April 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- As thousands of people converge at Arctic Man, AT&T* has deployed a Cell on Wheels (COW) to provide mobile internet service, and accommodate the wireless network demands from the high concentrations of smartphone users expected in Summit, Alaska, and supplement the first-response communications in the event of an emergency.

Arctic Man is one of the World's Toughest Downhill Ski races, and an exciting snowmobile race, all in one. The skier begins at a summit elevation of 5,800 feet and drops 1,700 feet in less than two miles to the bottom of a narrow canyon where he meets up with his snowmobiling partner. The snowmobiler meets the skier, on the go, with a tow rope and pulls the skier 2 1/4 miles uphill at top speeds of up to 86 mph. The skier and the snowmobile then separate and the skier goes over the side of the second mountain and drops another 1,200 feet to the finish line.

Arctic Man organizers use AT&T wireless service to supplement first-response communications in the event of an emergency. AT&T's COW will help provide much needed communications and data services from course set up on April 5 through the back up race day on April 13.

"Arctic Man takes place in the remote Hoodoo Mountain of Alaska, and communication in the area was a major challenge until AT&T stepped in," said Howie Thies, Race Director, Arctic Man. Whether it's spectators sharing pictures of the event on social networks, event organizers calling each other to organize races or communicating with first-responders in the event of an emergency, having AT&T service is invaluable to the Arctic Man event. Last year there was a snowmachine accident and AT&Ts service was a great safety tool that we all used to get help and support for the incident."

AT&T invested nearly $200 million in its best-in-class wireless and wired networks in Alaska from 2011 through 2013, driving a wide range of upgrades to enhance speed, reliability, coverage and performance for residents and business customers. AT&T in 2013 made 157 network upgrades in Alaska, including new cell sites, addition of wireless and wired network capacity, and new broadband network connections.

In 2013, several markets in Alaska were added to AT&T's extensive LTE network, including Juneau in March and Fairbanks in November. Additional Notable Alaska network enhancements in 2013 included:


    --  AT&T upgraded cell sites located near Fort Richardson, Elmendorf Air
        Force Base, Eagle River, and the Fairview area  to expand AT&T 4G LTE
        coverage for area residents.
    --  AT&T added new layers of frequency, also known as "carriers," to nine
        cell sites throughout Juneau to more efficiently manage available
        spectrum and increase mobile Internet capacity.
    --  AT&T expanded its 4G LTE network in Alaska to include Alyeska Resort.

AT&T provides the nation's most reliable 4G LTE network today, covering more than 280 million Americans with 4G LTE service.**

For more information about AT&T's coverage in Alaska or anywhere in the lower 48, 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.
** Reliability claim based on data transfer completion rates on nationwide 4G LTE networks. LTE is a trademark of ETSI. 4G LTE not available everywhere.

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 at http://www.youtube.com/att.

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SOURCE AT&T Inc.