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AT&T 4G LTE Available In Mt. Pleasant

MT. PLEASANT (WWJ) -- AT&T Inc. says it has fired up its 4G LTE high speed data network in the Mt. Pleasant area.

AT&T says the network offers speeds up to 10 times faster than a 3G network. The company says tests show it has the nation's fastest and most reliable 4G LTE network.

LTE technology offers lower latency, or the processing time it takes to move data through a network, such as how long it takes to start downloading a webpage or file once you've sent the request. Lower latency helps to improve services like mobile gaming, two-way video calling and telemedicine.

Also, AT&T noted that wireless spectrum is a finite resource, and LTE uses spectrum more efficiently than other technologies, creating more space to carry data traffic and services and to deliver a better network experience.

"We continue to see demand for mobile Internet skyrocket, and our 4G LTE network in Mt. Pleasant responds to what customers want from their mobile experience -- more, faster, reliably, on the best devices," said Jim Murray, president, AT&T Michigan.

This launch is part of AT&T's Project Velocity IP, a three-year investment plan announced last fall to expand and enhance its IP broadband networks. Through this investment, AT&T is supporting its customers' growing desire for high-speed Internet access and new mobile, app and cloud-based services. As part of Project VIP, AT&T plans to add more than 10,000 macro cell sites nationwide by year-end 2015, as well as deploy more than 40,000 small cells and add more than 1,000 Distributed Antenna Systems to increase the density of its wireless network.

AT&T says its 4G LTE service was recognized as having faster average download and upload speeds than any competitors in PCWorld/TechHive's most recent 20-market speed tests -- the second consecutive year that AT&T has ranked first overall. PCWorld/TechHive also ranked AT&T's as the fastest combination of 3G and 4G services in the 20 cities it tested.

And AT&T was named America's fastest 4G LTE network in PC Magazine's 2013 Fastest Mobile Networks 30-market study -- and also swept the top rankings in all six U.S. regions from coast to coast: Northeast, Southeast, North-Central, South-Central, Northwest and Southwest.

Even as AT&T continues to expand its 4G LTE coverage, customers can get 4G speeds outside of 4G LTE areas onits 4G HSPA+ network, unlike some competitors, where smartphone customers may fall back to slower 3G technologies when outside of LTE coverage.

AT&T also operates the nation's largest Wi-Fi network, including more than 32,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots at restaurants, hotels, bookstores and retailers, and provides access to more than 402,000 hotspots globally through roaming agreements. Most AT&T smartphone customers get access to its entire national Wi-Fi network at no additional cost, and Wi-Fi usage doesn't count against customers' monthly wireless data plans.

More at www.att.com/aboutus.

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