3 unservea areas, ana now mignt tnose options oe runaea <br />We think that wireless broadband is an economical alternative to wireline networks and can increase a community's <br />broadband options. We have frequently worked with communities to find existing structures such as buildings, <br />steeples, etc., that might be suitable for cell siting purposes. This approach can be both economical and <br />effective. To the extent that an existing structure is suitable, it can help expedite the process and effectively <br />deliver wireless broadband to areas or communities that have need for additional capacity or a gap in coverage. <br />Another way that communities can increase their options and encourage wireless broadband buildouts is to <br />examine their own permitting processes for cell siting to see if the process can be streamlined or simplified. <br />Very often, communities can expedite the process and get improved wireless capabilities to more people and <br />businesses, faster. <br />AT&T carefully chooses which type of site to build based on a number of factors like population density, <br />topography and variability of traffic. <br />Why is AT&T putting new or improved wireless facilities in areas that, according to AT&T's online maps, already <br />have coverage? Why do you need to build something here if my current AT&T service is fine? <br />The maps on AT&T's coverage viewer depict a high-level approximation of wireless coverage. There are small <br />gaps in coverage that are not shown by this high-level approximation. Actual coverage may differ from map <br />graphics and may be affected by terrain, weather, foliage, buildings and other construction, signal strength, <br />high-usage periods, customer equipment and other factors. The coverage maps are not intended to show <br />actual customer performance on the network, nor are they intended to show future network needs or build <br />requirements inside or outside of AT&T's existing coverage areas. <br />Your individual service can be affected by a number of factors like topography, location, time of day, and current <br />available capacity on our networks. As technology has continued evolving and more consumers are choosing <br />to use smartphones and tablets, our networks will require additional capacity to ensure we can deliver the most <br />seamless wireless experience possible. To see the astronomical impact new technology can have on a network <br />consider that since the Phone launched in 2007, mobile data traffic on our network has grown 50,000 percent. <br />While your individual service may seem to work fine in this area, our data may show that we have substantial <br />capacity issues or coverage gaps, and that we need to upgrade the wireless infrastructure in this area to provide <br />for more capacity or to fill in the coverage gap. <br />What is the difference in the number of towers for rural areas as compared with urban areas? <br />It depends on the height, traffic density, topography, and spectrum position <br />Lower frequencies have better propagation characteristics - distance and ability to penetrate walls, buildings <br />and structures. <br />in more dense traffic and population areas, more sites are needed in order to provide the capacity required. In <br />some core metro areas, we have sites that are only a few blocks apart. <br />In more rural areas, a taller site will propagate further, but "clutter"-such as trees or buildings- reduces that <br />range. That big shade tree that is in your front yard? It weakens the sun's rays and it also weakens the radio waves <br />we use to propagate our signal. <br />If an area is very hilly, more sites are needed to cover the area since there is shadowing from terrain. Consider <br />how a hill blocks the sun's rays at sunset. <br />