AT&T Expands Mobile Broadband Wireless Capacity In TC Area

TRAVERSE CITY -- Customers in the Traverse City area are expected to experience improved mobile broadband coverage and voice performance as a result of continued investment and innovation by AT&T.

The company announced Wednesday that it has completed a key initiative in its ongoing efforts to enhance the wireless capacity and performance of its mobile broadband network throughout Traverse City.

"Expanded mobile broadband access is a critically important tool for business in and around Traverse City," said Doug Luchiani, president of the Traverse City Chamber of Commerce.  "Stronger signals and faster connections are essential for families, job makers and entrepreneurs doing business in the 21st century economy."

The network enhancement adds new layers of frequency, also known as "carriers," to three cell sites  in the Traverse City area to more efficiently manage available spectrum and increase mobile broadband capacity. The expansion helps manage ever-growing demand for mobile broadband services by allocating more network resources for AT&T's mobile broadband network.

"Our goal is for our customers to have an extraordinary experience," said Jim Murray, president of AT&T Michigan. "As part of the Traverse City community, we're always looking for new opportunities to provide an enhanced customer experience and our investment in the local wireless network is just one way we're accomplishing that."

AT&T's mobile broadband network is based on the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) family of technologies that includes GSM and UMTS, the most widely used wireless network platforms in the world. AT&T has the best international coverage of any U.S. wireless provider, providing access to voice service in more than 225 countries and data service in more than 200 countries.

AT&T also operates the nation's largest Wi-Fi network with nearly 29,000 hotspots in the U.S. and provides access to nearly 190,000 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.

"We want you to have an extraordinary experience whether you are sharing videos and photos with friends, watching a movie, checking the latest scores, or keeping your business mobile on your AT&T device," said Brian Ducharme, vice president and general manager for in AT&T Michigan and Indiana. "Smartphones, tablets and laptops are continuing to drive unprecedented demand for wireless access everywhere. We're investing in a combination of technologies right here in Traverse City to meet these needs and ensure an advanced broadband experience for all our customers."