AT&T Enhances Gameday Mobile Internet Coverage at Ralph Wilson Stadium
Buffalo, N.Y., December, 12, 2014 — When a big play happens at Ralph Wilson Stadium, football fans can expect to enjoy an enhanced mobile experience as they pull out their wireless device to share the most exciting moments with friends and family.
As part of its continuing network investment to support growing demand for advanced wireless devices and services, AT&T* has expanded its mobile Internet coverage at Ralph Wilson Stadium by completing the installation of a new Distributed Antenna System (DAS) to enhance customers’ cellular experience throughout the facility.
A DAS installation consists of multiple strategically-placed antennas that distribute AT&T’s wireless network coverage throughout Ralph Wilson Stadium, providing for more efficient management of wireless capacity in heavily-trafficked areas, such as football stadiums. DAS has the ability to provide enhanced, consistent wireless coverage to customers in indoor or outdoor spaces where geographical limitations – terrain, building construction, etc. – or crowd density might otherwise prevent an optimal wireless experience.
This season at Ralph Wilson Stadium, fans are sharing their experiences with their friends and family back home and checking scores and stats from football games across the country. During an average game, AT&T customers at Ralph Wilson Stadium are using more than 397GB of mobile data on AT&T's in-venue mobile network. That’s equivalent to more than 1.1 million social media posts with photos.
The Ralph Wilson Stadium DAS is part of AT&T’s Project Velocity IP (VIP), a multi-year plan to invest for growth, announced in 2012. Through this investment, AT&T is supporting its customers’ growing desire for high-quality, fast wireless and wired services. As part of Project VIP, AT&T is deploying small cell technology, macro cells and additional DAS, which will increase the density of our wireless network. The wireless network densification will further improve network quality and increase spectrum efficiency.
“When our customers head out to the stadium to cheer on their favorite team, we want them to have a great network experience throughout the game no matter what they’re doing – whether that’s making a call, checking email, downloading apps or surfing the Internet,” said Marissa Shorenstein, President New York, AT&T. “With initiatives like Project VIP, we’re continuing to investment in the wireless network, and providing enhanced wireless coverage at Ralph Wilson Stadium is just one way that we’re investing in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls area.”
DAS technology helps improve the mobile Internet experience by shortening the distance a request must travel. The additional capacity also is expected to help improve call reliability, boost data traffic capacity and enable more consistent network access to help customers make the most of their AT&T devices.
These investments help to ensure that Western New York residents continue to enjoy the best possible experience over the AT&T network, whether at home, at work or on the go. Our 4G LTE network is the nation’s most reliable 4G LTE network. **
“The Buffalo Bills are committed to providing the best possible mobile internet coverage for our fans, and AT&T has facilitated this opportunity regardless of cell service provider,” said Andy Major, Bills Vice President of Operations & Guest Experience. “Making the fan experience the best in the NFL includes enabling Bills fans to check their fantasy stats, send texts, watch video and more, in-stadium on gameday without interruption.”
Across Western New York and New York State, AT&T’s 2014 investments have resulted in expansion and enhancement of our 4G LTE network, which provides ultra-fast speeds. AT&T 4G LTE is now available in Buffalo as well as Albany-Schenectady, Amsterdam, Auburn, Batavia, Binghamton, Corning, Cortland, Elmira, Glens Falls, Ithaca, Jamestown, New York City-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, (NY & NJ), Ogdensburg-Massena, Olean, Plattsburgh, Poughkeepsie, Rochester, Saratoga Springs, Seneca Falls, Syracuse, Utica-Rome, Watertown. Our 4G LTE network covers more than 300 million people.
AT&T’s focus to deliver the best possible mobile Internet experience goes beyond 4G to embrace additional connection technologies. AT&T owns and operates 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 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.
AT&T invested more than $35 million in its Buffalo area wireless and wireline networks from 2011 through 2013. Over the past six years (2008 to 2013), AT&T invested more than $140 billion into its wireless and wireline networks, when you combine capital investment and acquisitions of spectrum and wireless operations. Over the past six years, AT&T has invested more capital into the U.S. economy than any other public company. In a September 2013 report, the Progressive Policy Institute ranked AT&T No. 1 on its list of U.S. “Investment Heroes.”
For more information about AT&T’s coverage in the Western New York area 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.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
** Claim based on analysis of independent third party data re national carriers’ 4G LTE. LTE is a trademark of ETSI. 4G LTE not available everywhere.
*** A Wi-Fi enabled device required. Other restrictions apply. See www.attwifi.com for details and locations.
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AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and internationally. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation’s most reliable 4G LTE network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV service with the AT&T U-verse® brand. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world.
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