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AT&T launching 4G LTE on Nov. 20

AT&T is launching its next-generation LTE network at the end of the week. (Credit: Carlos Anguita)

Wireless carrier AT&T announced Monday plans to expand its 4G LTE platform to six new markets, including Puerto Rico, effective Nov. 20, News is my Business learned.

The San Juan metro market will go live at the end of the week, along with Charlotte, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, and Oklahoma City. With that expansion, AT&T is pushing to 15 the number of markets where it is making the next-generation high-speed platform available, meeting its 2011 market commitment, company officials said.

AT&T plans to reach 70 million Americans by year-end 2011, a figure that includes the million-plus clients the carrier has in Puerto Rico, where it is the largest wireless operator.

Attempts to reach local AT&T officials were unsuccessful Monday. The company is hosting a Christmas product showcase event Wednesday, when it is expected to discuss its upcoming network development plans.

With its announcement, AT&T joins two other carriers that have opted to migrate to LTE — Claro and Open Mobile have announced their own plans — to offer faster wireless broadband speeds and increased capacity.

“AT&T is the only U.S. carrier providing 4G using both HSPA+ and LTE technologies. HSPA+, when combined with enhanced backhaul, provides customers with compatible devices 4G speeds, meaning customers get a faster and more consistent 4G experience, even when outside of an AT&T 4G LTE area,” the company said in a statement issued Monday afternoon. “Customers of other carriers that have transitioned to 4G LTE without further speed upgrades to their existing networks are likely to see a jarring drop-off in speeds when they move out of LTE coverage.”

Coupled with the deployment of LTE in the select markets, AT&T will also introduce to market the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9, an ultra-thin tablet that caters to Android “fans who want an optimized Honeycomb experience in a best-in-class form factor.”

Customers can purchase it from AT&T stores and online beginning Nov. 20.

“The arrival of the Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 8.9 adds to our outstanding Android lineup and our growing portfolio of premier 4G LTE devices,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “We’re constantly adding new 4G LTE coverage and only AT&T offers 4G LTE plus 4G speeds through our HSPA+ network.”

Author Details
Author Details
Business reporter with 30 years of experience writing for weekly and daily newspapers, as well as trade publications in Puerto Rico. My list of former employers includes Caribbean Business, The San Juan Star, and the Puerto Rico Daily Sun, among others. My areas of expertise include telecommunications, technology, retail, agriculture, tourism, banking and most other segments of Puerto Rico’s economy.
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