AT&T Building 4G LTE In-Flight Connectivity Service

MOBILIZING THE SKY: AT&T BUILDING 4G LTE IN-FLIGHT CONNECTIVITY SERVICE

4G LTE-based air-to-ground service to transform connectivity for the U.S. aviation industry and its passengers

DALLAS, TEXAS, April 28, 2014 AT&T* today announced plans to launch a high-speed 4G LTE-based in-flight connectivity service for airlines and passengers in commercial, business and general aviation. The service, planned to be available as soon as late 2015, will be capable of providing in-flight broadband for customers including fast, reliable Wi-Fi and onboard entertainment. Following launch, aviation customers can also expect improved connectivity solutions such as cockpit communications, maintenance operations and crew services.

To deliver this new service, AT&T plans to build an innovative air-to-ground network in the continental United States, based on global 4G LTE standards, to provide fast speeds and efficient utilization of spectrum already owned by AT&T. As the architect and operator of the nations most reliable 4G LTE network**, AT&T has the expertise, spectrum and financial strength to transform airborne connectivity.

Everyone wants access to high-speed, reliable mobile Internet wherever they are, including at 35,000 feet, said John Stankey, Chief Strategy Officer at AT&T. We are building on AT&Ts significant strengths to develop in-flight connectivity technology unlike any other that exists today, based on 4G LTE standards. We believe this will enable airlines and passengers to benefit from reliable high speeds and a better experience. We expect this service to transform connectivity in the aviation industry we are truly mobilizing the sky.

Honeywell, an aerospace industry leader, recently issued its Wireless Connectivity Survey indicating that in-flight Wi-Fi currently causes frustrations for nearly nine in 10 users worldwide, most often due to inconsistent or slow connections. AT&T plans to work with Honeywell to provide hardware and service capabilities to deliver the in-flight connectivity solution. Along with Honeywells expertise, AT&Ts technical strength and scale in building networks and managing their evolutions provide a unique opportunity to change the way passengers and airlines connect to the mobile Internet. With AT&Ts planned new network, passengers would gain the reliability they have long hoped for in the sky for browsing the Internet, checking email, keeping in touch with friends and family through social networking and messaging services, and increasing business productivity. AT&Ts in-flight connectivity also offers the potential for improved communications between the plane and the ground through transmission of real-time aircraft data for optimizing, monitoring and evolving airlines operations.