Cingular Wireless Boasts 'Best Network' in Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingular Wireless today announced it has the "Best Network" among national wireless carriers in the Bay Area, according to information provided by a leading independent research and advisory firm that provides information, insight and performance measures for the wireless industry.

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"Whether shopping in Union Square or jogging along the Marina Green, Cingular customers in San Francisco can now be assured they are receiving the most reliable wireless service in the city," said Fred Devereux, Cingular Vice President General Manager for Northern California. "I am proud of the fact Cingular has the best network, showing why more people choose Cingular as their wireless provider in the Bay Area."

The results from a recent third-party drive test proved Cingular has the most reliable wireless network in the Bay Area. The company launched new advertising yesterday which reinforces Cingular's superior network reliability and drive testing results in the market.

In 2005, Cingular Wireless invested $1 billion in California, including more than $275 million in the Bay Area. This investment added more than 200 new cell sites to the local network, including 43 new sites in Alameda, 18 in Contra Costa, four in Marin, 39 in San Francisco, 20 in San Mateo, 44 in Santa Clara, six in Santa Cruz, 14 in Solano and 16 in Sonoma counties. In addition to the new cell sites, the investment delivered other enhancements to improve customers' wireless experience, including portable generators, back-up batteries and new high-speed data features.

Cingular also rolled out its 3G high-speed broadband wireless network in the Bay Area last year. Cingular BroadbandConnect offers customers with a compatible device and service plan average data connections between 400-700 kilobits per second.

This year, the company is expected to spend nearly $300 million in Northern California, which will turn on-air approximately 260 more new cell sites to maintain Cingular's position as the best network. Nationally, last year the company spent $6 billion enhancing the network and is expected to invest a comparable amount in 2006.

"It's great to see the investments we're making in our network are paying off for our customers," said Devereux. "Cingular's investment shows our commitment to deliver the best network quality and coverage, great new products and convenient services to our customers."

Cingular customers can choose from an exciting array of wireless devices including the recently launched Motorola SLVR, a slim new phone and Cingular's second handset capable of downloading iTunes directly from a PC. Cingular also offers a 30-day return policy, the longest nationwide trial period in the industry.

Additionally, the company provides an interactive mapping tool at all retail locations and by calling 1-866-CINGULAR. This resource tool details wireless coverage information and is designed to answer a customer's specific coverage questions based on an address, street intersection, zip code or even a landmark. It enables the customer to view Cingular wireless coverage all the way down to the neighborhood street level while depicting the likelihood of coverage in various scenarios -- such as inside a vehicle or building.

The company's network growth relies on advanced GSM/EDGE technology. EDGE is the fastest national wireless data network in the country. Globally GSM is used by more than 1.5 billion people in 200-plus countries. Cingular customers with a compatible device and service plan can make calls in more than 170 countries and access data services in more than 95 countries. Cingular also was the first carrier in the world to operate a commercial UMTS/HSDPA network, which provides industry-leading data throughputs with speeds of 400 to 700 Kbps. Cingular has deployed UMTS/HSDPA in the San Francisco and San Jose areas and 14 other markets with plans to have most of the United States' top 100 markets launched by the end of 2006.

About Cingular Wireless

Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving 54.1 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between AT&T Inc., formerly SBC Communications Inc., , and BellSouth Corporation , has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation -- the ALLOVER (SM) network -- and the largest mobile-to-mobile community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover (SM), the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Details of the company are available at http://www.cingular.com/. Get Cingular Wireless press releases e-mailed to you automatically. Sign up at http://www.cingular.com/newsroom.

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