AT&T boosts 4G LTE network in P.R. for faster delivery
AT&T Puerto Rico General Manager, José Juan Dávila, offers a tour of the provider’s products and service lineup for the holiday season.
AT&T announced Tuesday the addition of four new cell towers and capacity to hundreds of cell sites so far this year, helping customers get faster, more reliable wireless service in Puerto Rico.
The new cell sites in the areas of Cabo Rojo, Bayamón, Río Piedras and Caguas will help customers get the most out of their mobile devices, said José Juan Dávila, general manager for AT&T Puerto Rico & the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“Since the start of the year, AT&T has strengthened more than 450 cell sites to improve reliability and overall performance for customers. We have added extra capacity to sites so they can handle more network traffic,” he said. “We have also upgraded our network in the malls in Ponce and Hato Rey.”
AT&T has invested around $100 million in its Puerto Rico wireless and wireline networks each year since 2011, he said.
“Our networks are at the heart of everything we do for our customers. That’s why we continually invest in them,” said Dávila. “We want our customers to have the high-quality services they need to stay connected.”
Dávila said AT&T has skirted the effects of the economic downturn, saying “we’re satisfied and pleased” with the results.
“We’ve had stable growth in Puerto Rico. We must say that since the blackout in September, we have seen a significant wave of clients who had left AT&T come back to our service,” he said.
The announcement was coupled with a showcase of AT&T’s products for the season, including several offered in conjunction with DirecTV, which the wireless carrier purchased about a year ago.
“The partnership with DirecTV has allowed us to do things jointly, to provide more value to our clients,” said Melissa Burgos, head of marketing at AT&T.
The carrier unveiled an assortment of new smartphones, accessories and rate plans to cater to a spectrum of consumers. The stand-outs include wireless headphones, drones, a Star Wars-themed robot controlled via a mobile application, and an LED bulb that integrates a speaker and video camera that serves as a home security device that may also be controlled via a smartphone or computer app.
Starting in early 2017, AT&T will roll out “Stream Saver,” a free, way for customers to save data by streaming video similar to DVD quality at 480p. Competitive plans make customers pay extra for HD quality video, but we don’t. Stream Saver puts the customer in control where they can turn this feature on or off whenever they choose through att.com or the myAT&T app, Burgos said.
“Stream Saver lets you watch more video on your wireless phone or tablet while using less data, by streaming most higher definition video at standard definition quality, similar to DVD (about 480p). Stream Saver helps your data go further,” the carrier announced.
