Cingular Georgia Network Integration

Cingular Wireless Completes Georgia Network Integration and $360 Million Network Investment in 2005
Monday January 9, 9:44 am ET
Wireless Coverage Improved Across the State


ATLANTA, Jan. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingular Wireless customers in Georgia now have more coverage in more places thanks to the completed integration of the AT&T Wireless and Cingular Wireless networks and addition of new cell sites. The more than 475 newly integrated cell sites were kept from the AT&T Wireless network. Coupled with the 130 brand new cell sites built in 2005, Cingular Wireless now has more GSM cell sites serving more Georgian's. These enhancements were part of the company's 2005, $360 million network investment campaign. Customers should experience improvements in overall call quality, in-building, in-car and street level coverage.
"Providing the most advanced wireless services in the industry isn't going to matter to customers if a voice call doesn't go through and stay connected. Our network integration and expansion means that customers should now receive better overall coverage, improved call quality, and ability to make calls in more places," said Cliff Minor, vice president and general manager for Cingular's Georgia Operations. "We've made a large investment in network enhancements in 2005 and will continue to do so in 2006."

Since its merger with AT&T Wireless last year, Cingular engineers have been working to integrate the two companies' national networks by choosing the best cell site locations from both, eliminating duplicate equipment, and then combining everything on a common network platform. Engineers will continue to optimize the network in the coming weeks following the completion of the integration efforts and preparing for its 2006 expansion campaign.

Now, with the completion of the network integration in Georgia, the two networks can "talk" to each other, establishing the call through the closest site and passing the call seamlessly from site to site. All Cingular customers not only have access to more cell sites, but have all the cell sites in Georgia working together for them.

The company integrated approximately 475 cell sites into its existing network across 108 counties in the state. Fourteen of the 108 counties, now have brand new wireless coverage; 10 counties have 100% or more cell site count improvement; and 13 counties have 50% to 100% cell count improvement. By the end of 2006 when the networks have been integrated nationwide, Cingular customers will have access to some 45,000 cell sites.

Areas most significantly impacted by the 2005 expansion initiative include:

Fayette County (Increased number of cell sites serving the county by 238%):


- Increased in-building coverage along Joel Cowan Pkwy SR 74 from Starrs
Mill, Peachtree City and continuing north of Tyrone, GA.
- New coverage for the Graves Lake Dam area just south of Brooks, GA.
- Increased coverage for the city of Fayetteville and the surrounding
area.
- Additional coverage extends north and south along SR 85 and the Hwy 92
corridors and west along Highway 54 and the surrounding area.
- New coverage just south of the Willow Pond area SW of Fayetteville and
the Mills Dam area NE of Inman, GA.

Paulding County (Increased number of cell sites serving the county by 156%):


- New coverage in and around Dallas, GA.
- Expanded coverage east of SR 61 and north along SR 381 to the
Paulding/Cobb County line.
- Increased coverage along US 278.
- Increased coverage east of Paulding/Polk County line, along US 278 to
Dallas, GA; between SR61 and Highway 92; and between the cities of
Dallas and Hiram.
- Expanded coverage north of Paulding/Carroll/Douglas County lines; east
of SR101; and north along SR 61 to Dallas, GA.
- Increased coverage along SR 120 from Union east to Dallas and Hiram.
- Increased in coverage from Union to New Georgia along Mulberry Rock
Road; areas from New Georgia to Highway 92 along Ridge Road near Hiram.

Forsyth County (Increased number of cell sites serving the county by 158%):


- Added coverage along SR 9 and SR 371.
- New coverage just South of Heardville GA and fill-in coverage along SR
369 just east of Hightower.
- New coverage for Big Creek and the surrounding area.
- Added coverage along SR 20 just SE of Cumming.
- Brand new coverage along SR 369 east of 400 and the Coal Mountain area.
- Added coverage along SR 400 north of Cumming.

Sumter County (Brand new coverage - 8 cell sites along the GA/FLA Parkway) and Ware County (700 % increase in coverage for GSM service)


- New coverage in cities of Americus, Pearson, Douglas, Waycross and
Valdosta
- Added coverage along Highway 49 connecting Americus to Andersonville;
Andersonville to Oglethorpe; and from Oglethorpe/Montezuma to
Marshallville
- Added coverage along Highway 82 Northwest of Albany, connecting Sasser
to Dawson; west on Highway 82 to Tifton and north to Jessup
- Added coverage along Highway 257 Northeast of Albany; Along Highways 27
and 195 East of Americus to Flintside, GA.
- Added coverage along Highway 84 to Brunswick and connecting Waycross to
Valdosta; and south to Homerville, Valdosta and Quitman
- Added coverage along Highway 23 from Waycross southeast to Folkston
- Added coverage along the Valdosta corridor in and around Nashville,
Lake City and the Moody Air Force Base
- Added coverage North along I-75 connecting to Tifton and Albany