AT&T INVESTS MORE THAN $875 MILLION OVER THREE-YEAR PERIOD TO ENHANCE LOCAL NETWORKS IN SOUTH CAROLINA

AT&T* has invested more than $875 million in its best-in-class wireless and wired networks in South Carolina between 2012 and 2014, driving a wide range of upgrades to reliability, coverage, speed and performance for residents and business customers.

As part of its Project Velocity IP (VIP), an investment plan focused on network enhancement and expansion, AT&T in 2014 made 289 network upgrades in South Carolina, including new cell sites, addition of wireless and wired network capacity, and new broadband network connections.

“With a growing range of connected home appliances, cars and wearable devices, we depend more on network connectivity than ever before,” said AT&T South Carolina President Pamela Lackey. “Announcements like this are why it is imperative that South Carolina continually evaluate and update our rules and policies to ensure that we are encouraging investments in the technologies that provide the tools our citizens and businesses need for success in a global economy.”

Notable South Carolina network enhancements in 2014 included:

· 63 new cell sites;

· 183 network connection upgrades; and

· 43 new capacity upgrades.

“Infrastructure of all kinds is essential to economic development,” said South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt. “Private investment, particularly in advanced communication technology, is one of the engines that will drive our state’s economic growth and help create jobs.”

AT&T provides the nation’s most reliable 4G LTE network today, covering more than 300 million Americans with 4G LTE service.** AT&T’s network also has the nation’s strongest LTE signal.***

AT&T* was recently recognized by FORTUNE magazine as the Most Admired Telecommunications Company in the world in 2015. Additionally, FORTUNE ranked AT&T #47 among all companies in all industries in its list of the Top 50 Most Admired companies in the world. FORTUNE’s Most Admired Companies lists are among the most highly respected indicators of corporate performance and reputation.

AT&T U-verse is delivered over AT&T’s advanced IP network and includes AT&T U-verse High Speed Internet, AT&T U-verse TV, and AT&T U-verse Voice.**** AT&T U-verse TV customers enjoy Total Home DVR®, apps for entertainment on the go, and integrated features. AT&T recently received three Women’s Choice Awards® as “America’s Most Recommended Brand Among Women for Broadband, Television and Phone Service Provider.” Frost & Sullivan recognized AT&T for its leadership in high-speed Internet services with the 2015 North American Competitive Strategy and Innovation Leadership of the Year Award for Broadband, AT&T U-verse TV with the 2015 North American Company of the Year for Multichannel Video for its growth, innovation, and leadership, and the 2015 North American Company of the Year for Consumer Communication Services.

AT&T operates an extensive Wi-Fi network including more than 34,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots at popular restaurants, hotels, bookstores and retailers, and provides access to more than 1 million Hot Spots 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.*****

If the AT&T-DirecTV merger is approved by regulators, the combined companies will have an opportunity to redefine the video entertainment industry by delivering content to consumers across multiple screens – mobile devices, TVs, laptops, the backseat displays of connected cars, and even airplanes. AT&T has also committed to expand and enhance its deployment of both wireline and fixed wireless high-speed Internet to cover at least 15 million customer locations across 48 states – most of them in underserved rural areas.

For more information about AT&T’s coverage in South Carolina or anywhere in the United States, consumers can visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer. For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit the AT&T network news page.