[June 17, 2004] Cingular Wireless Commits to $58 Million Network Enhancement Plan for Kansas, Missouri ST. LOUIS, June 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingular Wireless, the nation's second- largest wireless carrier, highlighted its 2004 commitment to provide outstanding network performance and a world-class customer experience for Cingular's growing customer base in Missouri and Kansas. To achieve these goals, Cingular is undertaking several key initiatives throughout the year to build an even stronger foundation for customer satisfaction. One of the most critical, already under way in Missouri and Kansas, is a significant network expansion effort that will bring greater coverage and enhanced service to the region. The $58 million network build-out campaign will add more than 160 new cell sites in 2004 -- averaging more than two a week -- almost triple the number of sites added last year. The new sites will provide expanded coverage and increased capacity. Cingular's commitment for Missouri and Kansas is part of the company's national focus to invest $3 billion during 2004 -- adding more cell sites, circuits and switches -- for an enhanced wireless experience. "Now that our transition to an advanced voice and data network is complete, we are focusing our resources on increasing coverage, particularly in residential areas and in-building locations throughout the region," said Nancy Garvey, vice president and general manager for Cingular Wireless in Missouri and Kansas. "These improvements will enhance data services and add coverage to make a great network even better." In addition, Cingular is strengthening coverage across almost 64,000 square miles in Missouri and Kansas. These coverage improvements include handheld and in-building reception. Cingular will also add about 4,400 square miles of new coverage. Cingular's engineers drive more than 500,000 miles each year throughout Missouri and Kansas to test and improve the network performance-equivalent to some 20 trips around the world. In 2003, Cingular implemented an advanced GSM/GPRS network, improving coverage and capacity throughout the region. GSM is the Global System for Mobile Communications, giving customers the latest technology advances, including phones with greater functionality and unique features, high-speed data connectivity and superior sound quality. With about a billion people in 200 countries using this technology, more than 70% of the world's total wireless market is GSM. And what GSM delivers for voice, GPRS technology delivers for data. GPRS, or General Packet Radio System, is an enhancement for GSM that transmits and receives data in packets. It provides consumers with "always-on" connectivity and greater bandwidth and connection speed -- all from a wireless phone. In addition to its extensive network campaign, Cingular will continue to roll out a number of new initiatives throughout the year to enhance the customer experience and the company's customer service systems and procedures. These include improving the customer experience at all points of contact -- the initial sale, service, billing, call center contact and online presence. The company has already introduced a new simplified bill, self service enhancements on the web, and simplified coverage maps and rate plans, just to mention a few. ABOUT CINGULAR WIRELESS Cingular Wireless, a joint venture between SBC Communications and BellSouth , serves more than 25 million voice and data customers across the United States. A leader in mobile voice and data communications, Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover(SM), the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Cingular has launched the world's first commercial deployment of wireless services using Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) technology. Cingular provides cellular/PCS service in 43 of the top 50 markets nationwide, and provides corporate e-mail and other advanced data services through its GPRS, EDGE and Mobitex packet data networks. Details of the company are available at http://www.cingular.com/ . Cingular Wireless CONTACT: Frank Merriman of Cingular Wireless, +1-972-774-4802, [email protected] Web site: http://www.cingular.com/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]