ATLANTA, June 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingular said today it will transform Atlanta into a wireless speedway as it begins offering mobile broadband access throughout the greater metropolitan area.
Cingular customers can now use its 3G mobile broadband network to more quickly access e-mail, browse the Internet, connect to business applications, or watch video clips while on-the-go from Alpharetta south to Riverdale and from Powder Springs east to Lilburn.
"People want mobile access to communications and information services wherever they are, whether they are taking in a game at Turner Field, visiting a customer in Alpharetta or working from home in Stone Mountain," said Cliff Minor, vice president and general manager for Cingular's Georgia Operations. "Our 3G network complements the broadband experience customers already receive at work by extending an 'invisible wire' throughout our service area."
Cingular's 3G network is currently available in 54 communities nearby the major markets of Austin (TX), Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Gary (IN), Houston, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Portland (OR), Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose (CA), Seattle, Tacoma (WA) and Washington D.C. The company will expand its 3G network coverage area to most major markets by the end of 2006.
The Cingular 3G network uses HSDPA/UMTS (High Speed Downlink Packet Access/Universal Mobile Telephone System) technology. This technology makes it possible for people to enjoy a wide variety of wireless content. HSDPA/UMTS gives Cingular the advantage of offering simultaneous voice and data services to customers and is 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 last night's Braves 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 Minor. "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, three times more cities than any other service provider. Basic Cingular Video service includes more options for families from media outlets including ABC TV, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, CNN, Disney Channel, Disney Mobile Studios, ESPN, FOX Sports, FOX News, FOX TV, FUEL, HBO Family (premium), HBO Mobile (premium), iFilm, Jayski Alerts, Music Choice, NASCAR.com To Go (premium), NCAA Championship Sports Content, NBC, Richard Childress Racing, SPEED, The Weather Channel and TV Guide Channel.
Cingular currently offers 3G service on the LG CU320 and Samsung SGH-ZX10 handsets and will add several other handsets to its product line, including adding support for HSDPA, 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.
Cingular Video offers quick access to content users care about most. Cingular Video users can create a personalized home page with up to three links to their favorite video sites. In addition, the service is pre-set to automatically stream localized weather information to a user's personalized "News & Weather" page each day and provides local weather forecasts in 100 cities across the country, three times more cities than any other service provider.
While some wireless providers offer only a limited set of "non-premium" content options, Cingular Video provides the most complete basic-service package available in the U.S. market. Cingular Video is the only service to offer Fox News clips in addition to news broadcasts from CNN and NBC.
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," said Jeff Bradley, vice president for Cingular's Business Markets Group. "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 GT Max, Novatel U730 or Sierra Wireless AC860 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 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. The Option Wireless GT Max card also includes the 2100Mhz band, offering either HSDPA or UMTS broadband speeds in select countries.
