MINNEAPOLIS and SAINT PAUL, MN., Sept. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* plans to roll out 4G LTE in Minneapolis-Saint Paul by the end of the year, bringing customers the latest generation of wireless network technology and faster mobile Internet speeds.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120612/DA23287LOGO)

Watch here to see several of the benefits AT&T 4G LTE provides. LTE technology is capable of delivering mobile Internet speeds up to 10-times faster than 3G. Today, smartphones download fastest on AT&T 4G LTE.** Customers will be able to stream, download, upload and game faster than ever before on the latest LTE-compatible smartphones, tablets and devices.

"The Twin Cities of Minneapolis-Saint Paul enjoy AT&T's fast 4G speeds*** today as part of the nation's largest 4G network, and our teams will be working hard across the cities toward our upcoming 4G LTE launch," said Hardmon Williams, AT&T vice president and general manager for Minnesota and the Northern Plains. "AT&T customers in Minneapolis-Saint Paul can look forward to even faster speeds this year, on our leading lineup of smartphones, tablets and other devices."

"We're delighted about the roll out of high-speed wireless broadband here in the Twin Cities area," said MN State Representative Joe Hoppe, Chairman, House Commerce and Regulatory Reform Committee. "The capabilities provided by this new network will enhance the quality of life for our residents, help local businesses dependent on mobile broadband and help spur job creation and the growth of our local economy."

AT&T's 4G Network

AT&T's innovation and investment has resulted in the nation's largest 4G network, covering 275 million people with ultra-fast speeds and a more consistent user experience. AT&T is the only U.S. service provider to deploy two compatible 4G technologies to deliver more speed to more customers. Our 4G LTE network delivered faster average download speeds than any of our competitors in PCWorld's most recent 13-market speed tests.

AT&T's 4G network also delivers multiple innovations that optimize the network for performance. Our network's radio components are placed close to the antenna at most cell sites, instead of inside the base station, which helps minimize power loss between the base station and antenna and, in turn, improves the performance of our 4G LTE network. The network also is designed with its core elements distributed across the country, which helps reduce latency, or the delay when using the Internet, because your request isn't traveling as far.

Even as AT&T continues to expand its 4G LTE coverage in 2012 and 2013, customers can get 4G speeds outside of 4G LTE areas on our 4G HSPA+ network, unlike competitors', where customers fall back to slower 3G technologies when outside of 4G LTE coverage.

Over the past five years, AT&T invested more than $115 billion into operations and into acquiring spectrum and other assets that have enhanced our wireless and wired networks. Since 2007, AT&T has invested more capital into the U.S. economy than any other public company. In a July 2012 report, the Progressive Policy Institute ranked AT&T No. 1 on its list of U.S. "Investment Heroes."

*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.

** Limited 4G LTE availability in select markets. Up to 10x claim compares 4G LTE download speeds to industry average 3G download speeds. Fastest handset download claim based on a comparison of average download speeds of Android(TM )smartphones operating on the 4G LTE networks of U.S. national carriers. LTE is a trademark of ETSI.

***4G speeds not available everywhere. Learn more at att.com/network.

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 around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's largest 4G 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 services under the AT&T U-verse(®) and AT&T ?DIRECTV brands. 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. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT.

© 2012 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. 4G not available everywhere. 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. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Information set forth in this press release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results might 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 and revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.