Carrier's commitment delivers innovation, enhanced quality and coverage to the Carolinas

COLUMBIA, S.C., March 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingular Wireless, the nation's largest wireless carrier and part of the new AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T), upgraded and expanded its western Carolinas service by launching 27 new cell sites in the Saluda/Newberry/Monticello area last year. The local investment was part of the wireless company's estimated $6 billion national network capital expenditure program during 2006.

Last year, AT&T's wireless unit built more than 200 new cell sites across the Carolinas, expanding coverage and enhancing network capacity for residents and visitors to the area. As a result, AT&T's ALLOVER™ network* -- the nation's largest digital voice and data network -- has grown bigger and better in western South Carolina.

"The past two years were unprecedented -- investing almost $1.3 billion nationwide to deliver a quality wireless experience to our customers here," said Alison Hall, vice president and general manager for the company's Carolinas market. "The major expansion we completed northwest of Columbia was an extraordinary achievement that enables us to provide enhanced coverage for our customers today and into the future."

Local areas where the service improvements took place include:
- Kirksey, Greenwood, Cokesbury, and Ninety-Six in Greenwood County
- Chappelles and along Hwy 176 between Newberry and Whitmire in
Newberry County
- The area around Saluda and Big Creek in Saluda County
- Near Summit and Gilbert, along Hwy 1 and I-20 in Lexington County

Hall added, "Now as part of AT&T, we will continue our momentum and focus on delivering a strong network, innovative wireless products and services, and a quality customer service experience in 2007."

Over the last two years, Cingular has invested more than $13.5 billion nationally in an aggressive program to upgrade and expand wireless service and now gives customers access to some 45,000 cell sites -- more than any other wireless carrier in the country.

*The ALLOVER™ network covers more than 273 million people. Coverage is not available in all areas.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. is a premier communications holding company in the United States and around the world, with operating subsidiaries providing services under the AT&T brand. AT&T is the recognized world leader in providing IP-based communications services to businesses and the U.S. leader in providing wireless, high speed Internet access, local and long distance voice, and directory publishing and advertising through its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding video entertainment offerings to include such next-generation television services as AT&T U-verse(SM) TV. 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/.

AT&T is a registered trademark of AT&T Knowledge Ventures. Subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. provide products and services under the AT&T brand. For more information, please review this announcement in the AT&T newsroom at http://www.att.com/newsroom.

SOURCE: Cingular Wireless, now part of the new AT&T