Cingular Brings 3G Wireless Broadband to Southeast Texas

BEAUMONT, Texas, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingular Wireless has launched its super-charged wireless network throughout much of Jefferson and Orange Counties, capable of providing customers with high-speed access to voice or data information in a world that has gone mobile.

Cingular customers can now use its 3G mobile broadband network in much of Southeast Texas, and into the greater Houston area. Service is available from Beaumont and Port Arthur to Orange; and from Nederland-Groves to Vidor, as well as surrounding areas. The company plans to continue adding coverage to meet the market demands for service.

Cingular 3G not only offers advanced wireless services, such as viewing video clips, it enhances existing services by making them run faster. Customers can now download a game or ringtone, or access e-mail, in a fraction of the time it used to take. Additionally, Cingular customers using a 3G handset can access all the company's data services whenever they're connected to the Cingular network.

"Cingular customers can now more quickly access e-mail, browse the internet, connect to business applications, or watch video clips while on-the-go," said Leah Bird, Cingular's director of sales for Southeast Texas.

"Our 3G service gives them the ability to watch Texans or Astros highlights on their phone while shopping or waiting to grab a seat at a restaurant. We're providing customers with an 'invisible wire' that extends their broadband experience beyond their office or home."

Cingular's 3G network provides average download data speeds between 400-700 kilobits per second with bursts to over one megabit. The company currently provides 3G services in more than 108 cities and towns located nearby more than 44 major metropolitan markets.

HSDPA/UMTS technology makes it possible for people to enjoy a wide variety of wireless content and gives Cingular the advantage of offering simultaneous voice and data services to customers based upon the global standard for wireless communications -- GSM. For businesses and consumers, this means more feature-rich services and content, and for Cingular, a more economical method for carrying traffic and more efficient use of spectrum.

Personal Mobility -- Fast And Furious

Customers who want to watch video highlights of the Texans game, or get a preview of HBO's Entourage series, can see it all -- and more -- by signing up for Cingular Video. Cingular Video is an on-demand streaming video service with a large selection of popular mobile content that can be viewed on 3G-capable Cingular phones.

"We've tailored Cingular Video so that customers can quickly and easily personalize and access some of their favorite entertainment and information sites," said Bird. "Imagine a soccer mom who can now get regular weather video updates every 30 minutes from her phone on the way between her son or daughters activities."

Cingular Video includes local weather forecasts in 100 cities across the country. Basic Cingular Video service includes more options for families from media outlets including ABC TV, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, CMT, CNN, Comedy Central, Disney Channel, Disney Mobile Studios, ESPN, FOX Sports, FOX News, FOX TV, FUEL, HBO Family (premium), HBO Mobile (premium), iFilm, Jayski Alerts, MTV, Music Choice, NASCAR.com To Go (premium), NCAA Championship Sports Content, NBC, Nickelodeon, Richard Childress Racing, SPEED, Spike, The Weather Channel, TV Guide Channel and VH1.

Cingular currently offers 3G service on several handsets including the only HSPDA wireless phones available in the country, the LG CU500 and Samsung ZX20. The company is adding several other handsets to its product line in the coming months. Prices for Cingular 3G handsets start at $99 after a $50 mail- in rebate for a two-year service plan commitment. Cingular Video requires a $19.99 MEdia Net Unlimited data package. Premium content, such as HBO Mobile, is available on a an additional monthly subscription basis, while other content, such as music video clips from Music Choice, is available on a pay- per-view basis for a 24-hour period of time.

Mobilizing Business At High-Speed

Utilizing its 3G network, Cingular's LaptopConnect solutions give businesses the ability to use their laptops to access the Internet or e-mail, download large files and attachments, or run corporate business applications at average data speeds between 400-700Kbps (kilobits per second) on the downlink, with bursts to more than a megabit per second.

"Businesses need the same fast reliable access to information whether they're working from a desktop in their office or making a presentation to a customer at an offsite location," Bird said. "They don't want to wait for a large contract to download or access their company's intranet site to check inventory status. With BroadbandConnect, they don't have to anymore."

Cingular LaptopConnect combines either an external LaptopConnect card or an integrated modem within a Laptop and Cingular's Communication Manager to provide access to the 3G network. The service also offers additional security features compared to alternative wireless technologies.

Customers can purchase either an Option Wireless or Sierra Wireless laptop modem card for $99.99, after rebate, when they sign up for a qualifying voice plan and two-year, Unlimited Data Connect plan. Customers can also purchase a Dell Latitude D620 or Dell Latitude D820 at http://www.cingular.com/dell. Cingular's Unlimited DataConnect plan is currently $59.99 those customers who sign up for a two-year term and have a qualifying voice plan with Cingular.

Additionally, business customers traveling outside the United States can select one of two international data plans. Cingular DataConnect North America ($109.99 for 100MB) for travel within Canada and Mexico, and DataConnect Global ($139.99 for 100MB), an overseas plan -- both include unlimited data usage on Cingular's domestic data networks. Cingular is the first and only carrier in the world to offer a single card/single rate plan solution for international travelers.

All Cingular LaptopConnect cards and Integrated modems are dual-band HSDPA/UMTS (850/1900Mhz) and quad-band EDGE/GPRS (Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution/General Packet Radio Service) in four bands (850/900/1800/1900Mhz), which means the devices are interoperable between the company's nationwide EDGE network and it's 3G network Additionally, customers can use the cards to access broadband service internationally as well.

The Technology: HSDPA/UMTS

HSDPA is the high-speed evolution of GSM/EDGE (Global System for Mobile Communication), which shares a common core network and therefore is backward compatible with EDGE/GPRS.

In areas where the 3G network is not available, customers will automatically receive service on the company's EDGE network. The Cingular EDGE network is available in more than 13,000 cities and towns and in areas along 40,000 miles of highways, providing average data speeds up to 135Kbps. GSM is the world's most popular wireless technology, which is used by international wireless carriers to serve more than two billion people worldwide, and enabling Cingular customers to make/receive voice calls in nearly 200 countries.

The launch is part of the company's $185 million investment in its South Texas network this year. Over the past three years, Cingular has invested $746 dollars in its South Texas network, integrating and deploying GSM/GPRS/EDGE technology, preparing for its 3G (UMTS) deployment, and improving overall coverage and capacity.

About Cingular Wireless

Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving 57.3 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between AT&T Inc. and BellSouth Corporation , has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation -- the ALLOVER(TM) network -- and the largest mobile-to-mobile community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is a leader in third generation wireless technology. Its 3G network is the first widely available service in the world to use HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) technology. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover(R), 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 emailed to you automatically. Sign up at http://cingular.mediaroom.com/.