CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 31 /PRNewswire/ -- The nation's largest wireless carrier is growing its network and meeting the need for enhanced coverage in South Carolina. Cingular Wireless today said it recently added 21 new cell sites in South Carolina, ensuring Carolinas customers stay connected. These new sites are some of the more than 300 new Cingular cell sites planned for the Carolinas before the end of the year. The company has already added more than 175 new cell sites across the Carolinas in the last seven months, enhancing wireless service for those who live, work and play in the region.

These new sites bring enhanced or additional coverage in and around the following areas in middle and eastern South Carolina:

- Two new sites east of Bamberg and one new site west of town, along Heritage Hwy. (US 78) - Along Hwy. 178 west of Saluda and southeast of Epworth - Along SR 39, northwest of Saluda - Along US 176 and in the town of Whitmire - South of Winnsboro in Fairfield County, along Hinnants Store Rd. (SR 269) - Northeast of Eastover in Richland County, along McCords Ferry Rd. (US 601) - Along US 378 southeast of Gresham - West of Orangeburg, along Hwy. 4 (Neeses Hwy.) - South of Pamplico, along US 378 in Florence County

New sites bring enhanced or additional coverage to these areas of western South Carolina:

- Along Hwys. 81 and 181 and the surrounding residential areas near Starr and Iva - Around Lake Jocassee and Lake Keowee, including Cliffs Vineyard and Six Mile, and along Hwys. 11, 130, and 133 - North of Greenwood, near the airport and along Hwys. 254 and 246 - The industrial and residential areas north of Ninety Six and along Lake Greenwood - Residential areas southwest of Union, and along Hwy. 49 from Unio to Cross Keys and on to I-26 - South of Union and along Hwy. 176 - Near Salem, along Hwys. 11 and 130 and in surrounding residential areas

"From the forests and hills of western South Carolina to the beautiful beaches of Charleston and Edisto, Cingular Wireless is committed to bringing the best network possible to our customers," said Alison Hall, vice president and general manager for Cingular's North and South Carolina market. "These new cell sites, as well as the new sites we continue to build throughout the year, will help us provide that coverage to those living, working, and vacationing in the Palmetto State."

Cingular Wireless plans to spend more than $385 million on its Carolinas network before year-end, increasing coverage and capacity, building more than 300 new cell sites, adding portable generators and back-up batteries, and offering enhanced new features. Significantly, Cingular recently launched its third-generation (3G) wireless network technology in 16 major cities, with more to follow across the country, including the Carolinas. With 3G, customers will access information and applications at broadband speeds in the office, on the road or at home. The service -- via laptop data cards or 3G- compatible phones this year -- provides average mobile data connections between 400-700Kbps (kilobits per second) on the downlink and bursts to more than a megabit per second. Cingular's local investment is part of a more than $6 billion commitment to enhance and expand its ALLOVER(TM) Network nationwide this year.

About Cingular Wireless

Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving 55.8 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between AT&T Inc. and BellSouth Corporation , has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation-the ALLOVER(TM) network-and the largest mobile- to-mobile community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is a leader in third generation wireless technology. Its 3G network is the first widely available service in the world to use HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) technology. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover(R), the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Details of the company are available at http://www.cingular.com/. Get Cingular Wireless press releases emailed to you automatically. Sign up at http://cingular.mediaroom.com/.

CONTACT: Laurie Parker of Cingular Wireless, +1-615-221-3690, or
wireless, +1-615-202-3463, or Laurie.parker@cingular.com

Web site: http://www.cingular.com/
http://cingular.mediaroom.com/