Staff Report
Published Sept. 6, 2012

Wireless phone provider AT&T said it plans by the end of this year to roll out 4G LTE in Columbia, a technology the company said will deliver the latest generation of wireless network technology and faster mobile Internet speeds.

LTE technology is capable of delivering mobile Internet speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G. Customers will be able to stream, download, upload and game faster on the latest LTE-compatible smartphones, tablets and devices, AT&T said.

"Columbia enjoys AT&T's fast 4G speeds today as part of the nation's largest 4G network, and our teams will be working hard across the city toward our upcoming 4G LTE launch," said Pamela Lackey, AT&T South Carolina president.

AT&T's network covers about 275 million people nationwide.

Over the past five years, AT&T invested more than $115 billion into operations and into acquiring spectrum and other assets that have enhanced its wireless and wired networks.