ATT Wireless open letter of assurance to area customers

AT&T Wireless sent out a letter to Carolinas-area customers Wednesday night assuring them of coverage upgrades. The letter talks about AT&T's continuing plan to improve service.

If that sounds like a move to make sure you stick around once the iPhone gets gone, well, you thought what I thought.

Popular rumors, from credible news sources, have the iPhone going to Verizon in January. While that will surely hurt Android sales -- and I do believe many Verizon customers got tired of waiting for iPhone and found a decent alternative -- it could also hurt AT&T, which has experienced exponential growth thanks to the little handset from the guys in Cupertino, California.

Here's the text of the letter.

"I am writing to thank you for choosing AT&T for your wireless service, and to update you on exciting plans we have to make your wireless experience even better.

You already know that AT&T covers 97% of all Americans. And as an AT&T customer, you have access to the nation's fastest mobile broadband network; a mobile broadband network that allows you to talk and browse the web at the same time; and seamless access to over 20,000 AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots - more than any other U.S. wireless provider.

But you may not know the extent of our plans to improve your experience. In 2010 alone, we plan to invest between $18 and $19 billion in our wireless and wireline networks across the country. In fact, we've invested more in our networks over the last three years than any of our U.S. competitors. We've already upgraded our cell sites to enable faster mobile broadband speeds when paired with expanded backhaul, and we plan a similar upgrade at the end of the year that will enable even faster speeds.

We're not stopping there. We are also adding thousands of new cell sites, expanding mobile broadband coverage to millions of customers, installing enhanced fiber backhaul, and increasing the capacity of our data network. Not only do these enhancements provide a better experience today, but they also enable a seamless migration to our next generation of mobile broadband - LTE.

What this means to you is simple: better coverage where it matters most, and fast access to information on the go.

Your satisfaction is always our number one goal. If you have any needs or questions about what AT&T can do for you, I invite you to stop by your local AT&T store, visit att.com, or come tell us what you think at www.facebook.com/ATT.

Again, thank you for being our customer.

Sincerely,

Alison Hall
Vice President and General Manager
AT&T - Carolinas Region"