AT&T recaps $325M ’10-’12 investments in Puerto Rico
AT&T invested significantly in Puerto Rico over the past two years. (Credit: Carlos Anguita)
Wireless carrier AT&T on Thursday provided a recap of its investments in its Puerto Rico wireless and wireline networks from 2010 through 2012 totaling more than $325 million as it focuses on expanding 4G LTE mobile Internet coverage and enhancing the overall performance of its infrastructure.
AT&T made nearly 625 wireless network upgrades in six key categories in Puerto Rico during 2012, including activating new cell sites, adding capacity, upgrading cell sites to provide fast 4G LTE mobile Internet speeds, deploying high-capacity Ethernet connections to cell sites, and adding or upgrading Distributed Antenna Systems, which boost wireless coverage and capacity in buildings and at major venues like convention halls or sports arenas.
“We know our customers depend on us for fast, reliable mobile Internet connections at home, work and everywhere in between,” said José Juan Dávila, AT&T vice president and general manager AT&T Puerto Rico and USVI.
“Delivering for our Puerto Rico & USVI customers is a top priority and our ongoing investment here is designed to deliver a superior mobile Internet experience, encompassing speed, coverage and reliability,” he said.
Last year, AT&T launched 4G LTE in the towns of Guayama, San Germán and Yauco. AT&T 4G LTE is the latest generation of wireless network technology and provides faster mobile Internet speeds and improved performance on a variety of mobile smartphones and tablets.
“Across Puerto Rico, this robust investment in the AT&T wireless and wireline networks is important to spurring the economy and creating jobs. In our wireless world, mobile and broadband networks help create economic opportunities for health care, manufacturing, education, transportation and public safety and virtually every other economic sector,” said Ray Flores, regional vice president AT&T Puerto Rico & USVI.
In coming months, AT&T will move ahead with its recently launched Project Velocity IP (VIP), a three-year investment initiative to expand and enhance its wireless and wired IP broadband networks.
As part of Project VIP, AT&T plans to increase the density of its wireless network by deploying more than 10,000 macro sites, more than 1,000 distributed antenna systems, and more than 40,000 small cells. Through this initiative, the carrier also plans to:
- Expand 4G LTE to cover more than 300 million people by year-end 2014
- Expand the AT&T wired IP broadband network to cover approximately 75 percent of customer locations in our wired service area by year-end 2015
- Expand the AT&T fiber network to reach 1 million additional business locations by year-end 2015
