MobilizePNW+

Musings about wireless news that impacts the lives and people in the Pacific Northwest. I manage AT&T Public Relations for Oregon, Washington, Alaska and North Idaho. All opinions are my own, so visit about.att.com for official company news

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AT&T Provides 25,000 Hours of Mentoring to 4,217 Students in Washington State

One in 3 young people do not have a mentor when growing up, according to recent research commissioned by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership and supported by AT&T.  A caring adult is a key factor in helping ensure a student graduates from high school.

Student success in school and beyond is a primary focus of AT&T Aspire, the company’s signature philanthropic initiative. Watch here to see about how a mentor and mentee relationship changed both of their lives for the better.

In less than 4 years, AT&T employees provided students with 1 million hours of mentoring, here in Washington and across the globe. Employee mentors participate in AT&T’s Aspire Mentoring Academy, which was launched in the fall of 2012 with the objective of providing 1 million hours of mentoring to students by its employees before the end of 2016.  

In Washington, AT&T employees are connected with best-in-class nonprofits that support students who will benefit the most from mentoring. Since the launch of Aspire Mentoring Academy in the fall of 2012, 4,217 students were provided nearly 25,000 mentoring hours in Washington. 

President Obama declared January 2016 National Mentoring Month and called upon public officials, business and community leaders, educators, and Americans across the country to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.  Click on this link to see the proclamation: https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/12/31/presidential-proclamation-national-mentoring-month

“Reaching this milestone nearly 1 year early is a testament to the commitment and enthusiasm of AT&T employees,” said Bob Bass, President, AT&T Washington. “As mentors, our employees connect with students to help them discover their passions and potential. The experience has a positive impact on both the adults and students.”

The 1 million hour milestone is just the beginning of AT&T’s efforts to close this gap. The next phase of Aspire Mentoring Academy will use the power of technology to connect with even more students in more places around the world.

“A mentor is a critical asset in helping a young person achieve success and one that drives expanded support and opportunity. AT&T employees bring us closer to that goal with Aspire Mentoring Academy,” said David Shapiro, CEO, MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership. “One million mentoring hours is a major accomplishment. It helps us close the mentoring gap and equip more young people with the skills and confidence they need to be successful. We are excited to work with AT&T to expand their reach to even more students by supporting employees and leveraging innovation and collaboration in the mentoring field.”

AT&T is teaming up with innovative organizations, such as Nepris, iCouldBe and We Teach Science that use technology to provide mentorship opportunities. These organizations will help connect more students and mentors for whom in-person mentoring is not possible. 

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AT&T OPENS NEWLY EXPANDED AND REMODELED RETAIL STORE IN LONGVIEW, WA

AT&T has opened a newly expanded and remodeled retail store in Longview to meet the growing needs of our local customers.  The store offers options for the latest devices, accessories, and services. The new store is approximately 2700 SF FT in size and located at 1015 Ocean Beach Hwy, Longview, WA 98632

“Our goal is to provide an exceptional experience in every interaction.  That starts with conveniently located stores,” said Mike Maxwell, vice president/general manager, AT&T Pacific Northwest.  “Customers want the latest apps, services, devices, and accessories to mirror their mobile lifestyles. They now have another great location to find the right solution.”

The new store is the latest example of the investment already made in Washington. AT&T invested nearly $1.7 billion in its network in Washington during the past three years.  AT&T has 39 company-owned retail locations throughout Washington and employs approximately 4,500 people across the state.

Store information The new Longview store is open Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. To find the nearest AT&T store or device support center, visit www.att.com/find-a-store or www.att.com/dsc.  You can make an appointment first at https://www.att.com/storeappointment/.

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Elementary School Students Light 157-Foot Holiday Tree on Top of AT&T Tower in Anchorage

Students from Government Hill Elementary School in Anchorage helped brighten the holidays for their friends, neighbors and the city last week when they joined AT&T employees in lighting a 157-foot holiday tree on top of AT&T’s 225-foot communications tower.  Built by AT&T employees, the tree features 850 amber, yellow and green light bulbs.

The annual tree-lighting is a 21-year tradition for AT&T and the Government Hill community. Each year, the annual event is eagerly anticipated by Government Hill Elementary students, 14 of whom are randomly selected to flip breaker switches to illuminate the tree.

The event began with a school assembly at which each student’s name is placed in a bucket corresponding to the student’s grade. Two students from each grade were be chosen randomly to be official tree-lighters. 

After the names were drawn, all the students made a short walk to the tower. Following spirited singing of time-honored holiday carols, the lucky 14 were given hardhats to wear and invited into a special area to flip the tree’s light switches.

AT&T has a long history of support to Government Hill Elementary School, from helping judge the student science fair and ‘Chalk the Walk’ (through United Way) on the first day of school to supporting the Junior Achievement in a Day program at the school each spring.

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High-Definition (HD) Mobile Voice Service Switched On in Coos Bay, Klamath Falls, and Roseburg, Oregon

My advice is to think about HD Voice like you think about HDTV.  When watching a high-definition (HD) TV, you immediately see the difference in the picture clarity.  The same is true of HD Voice.  When speaking with someone on high-definition (HD) phone call, you immediately hear the difference in audio clarity.

And now residents and businesses in Coos Bay, Klamath Falls, and Roseburg, Oregon can take advantage of this latest generation of wireless network technology – at no extra cost.   AT&T customers in these areas with an AT&T HD Voice-capable device with HD Voice set up on their account will hear reduced background noise compared to standard voice calls, helping to make conversations crystal clear.

This video does a great job of describing the benefits in layman’s terms and provides a demo so that you may hear the difference for yourself:

Voice Over LTE (also known as VoLTE) is an all-Internet Protocol (IP) network technology that provides:

Better overall audio quality – The use of wideband audio for HD Voice, which expands the frequency range of audio signals, enabling more natural sounding voice.

Noise cancellation – Customers using HD Voice will hear reduced background noise compared to standard voice calls, helping to make conversations crystal clear.

Simultaneously talk & surf the web – The ability to talk while surfing at ultra-fast 4G LTE speeds. 

The new HD voice service is part of a multi-billion dollar planned investment to expand and enhance our wireless and wireline broadband services, improving Internet service quality, speed, and reliability.   AT&T invested nearly $375 million in its Oregon network during the past three years and made 170 wireless network upgrades in Oregon, including 16 new cell sites, 26 wireless broadband upgrades, 121 new wireless high-speed Internet connections, and additional network capacity. 

For more information, including AT&T’s HD Voice coverage areas and device selection, visit www.att.com/hdvoice.

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High-Definition (HD) Mobile Voice Service Switched On Throughout the Pacific Northwest

High-definition (HD) mobile voice service has recently been turned on in multiple cities and towns throughout Idaho, Oregon and Washington, including:

Idaho: Coeur d'Alene, Clarkston, Lewiston, Moscow and Pullman 

Oregon: Bend, Eugene, Medford, and Salem

Washington: Spokane and the Spokane Valley, and the Tri-Cities: Richland, Kennewick, and Pasco 

HD voice brings these local residents and businesses the latest generation of wireless network technology – at no extra cost to existing customers.  AT&T customers with an AT&T HD Voice-capable device with HD Voice set up on their account will hear reduced background noise compared to standard voice calls, helping to make conversations crystal clear. 

Watch this to hear the difference for yourself: 

Voice Over LTE (also known as VoLTE) is an all-Internet Protocol (IP) network technology that provides:

Better overall audio quality – The use of wideband audio for HD Voice, which expands the frequency range of audio signals, enabling more natural sounding voice.

Noise cancellation – Customers using HD Voice will hear reduced background noise compared to standard voice calls, helping to make conversations crystal clear.

Simultaneously talk & surf the web – The ability to talk while surfing at ultra-fast 4G LTE speeds. 

The new HD voice service is part of a multi-billion dollar planned investment to expand and enhance our wireless and wireline broadband services, improving Internet service quality, speed, and reliability.   AT&T invested more than $50 million in its Spokane area network during the past three years and made wireless network upgrades in the Spokane area last year, including new cell towers, addition of network capacity, and new wireless high-speed Internet connections. 

For more information, including AT&T’s HD Voice coverage areas and device selection, visit www.att.com/hdvoice.

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My Connected Car Life

My last few weeks have been all about Connected Cars. It started with the Seattle Auto show and a last-minute partnership with Volvo.  

AT&T does so many cool things with Connected Cars that as a public relations person for the company; I knew there were some great stories to tell. Just out this video to see why:

But it was the Monday before the Seattle Auto Show and I had nothing.  No story. No partner. No demonstrations.

What a missed opportunity!  By noon I had thrown in the towel.  Well…there’s always the Portland Auto Show in January.  Then; a phone call!  

Volvo had a booth at the Seattle Auto Show and would be happy to demonstrate the features and customer benefits of its cars connected to the AT&T network. 

I celebrated for five minutes, and then panicked.  Two days until the show and no developed story, demonstration plan or media guests.

It was time for a crash course in AT&T Connected Cars and Volvo.  Did you know that by 2017, more than 30 percent of new cars in the U.S. will have wireless connectivity?  I didn’t either, and that’s up from six percent last year. And, AT&T expects to connect more than 10 million vehicles by the end of 2017!  

I wasn’t surprised about the growth forecast after learning about what Connected Cars can do. By connecting to AT&T’s nationwide network Volvo Connected Cars can:

Remote start your engine – the air conditioning or heater starts too, following your pre-set instructions. Pre-heat in winter, cool down in summer – it’s easy with the Volvo On Call app on your smartphone

Receive and listen to text messages hands-free with Text to Voice.  Incoming text messages get displayed on screen and with one press of the OK button, they’re read aloud by your Volvo

Turn your car into a wifi hotspot with the ability to connect multiple devices, including tablets and laptop computers. Your car becomes a business center on the way to an important meeting or an entertainment center for the kids on a long drive.

Easily search via voice commands for restaurants, historical landmarks, available parking and places of interest. Wireless connectivity brings a vast internet database of local and far away points of interest to your car. 

And much more!

Story…check! Demonstration…check!  With that, it wasn’t hard to attract interest.  And thanks to fabulous partners like Greg Goolsby at Volvo and Lisa Samuelson, PR lead for the Seattle Auto Show, we put on a fun and engaging demonstration for local TV news and consumer lifestyle writers and bloggers.  

Here are just a few examples:

Rave and Review: http://www.raveandreview.com/2015/10/connected-cars-of-the-future-with-att-and-a-wi-fi-device-for-the-rest-of-us.html

KING5-NBC: https://us.vocuspr.com/ViewNewsOnDemand.aspx?ArticleID=2813473_80591_438421025

Mom Start: http://momstart.com/2015/10/playing-with-google-cardboard-apps-attseattle/

And a week later I was asked to do a radio interview about AT&T Connected Car products and services on The Drive with Alan Taylor. Getting up at 7am on a Saturday to do a live phone interview wasn’t my first choice for how to start the weekend, but I’m really glad I did it.  

What a great show with fabulous hosts.  If you haven’t had your fill of Connected Cars yet, I highly recommend you check out the radio interview here: [start 1:12:50] http://www.ernlive.com/show/the-drive-with-alan-taylor/15/episodes/the-drive-without-alan-taylor-full-show-216

And following all of this activity, AT&T released it third-quarter results with some impressive statistics that illustrate how Connected Cars will become as routine as carrying a smartphone.  Stats included:

AT&T added 1 million cars in the third quarter, enabling drivers to access the Internet, monitor traffic and create a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Connected cars accounted for more additions than any other category. That’s more than for postpaid and prepaid phones, tablets and computing devices, and satellite TV.

And it was the second consecutive quarter that AT&T hit the 1 million mark on vehicles.

AT&T is the wireless network of choice for roughly half the connected cars in the U.S.

Considering that, you may expect to hear from me on this topic again.  Thanks for reading!

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AT&T Employees Help AHA - Seattle Tacoma Raise Funds to Fight Heart Disease @AHAPugetSound

More than 100 representatives from AT&T, including employees and their families, gathered at the Seattle Center on Saturday to participate in the 2015 Puget Sound Heart & Stroke Walk.  AT&T employee volunteers from the greater Seattle area raced past their target contribution of $3,000 by raising $13,394 – more than $10,000 above their goal!

As an employee, I can tell you that AT&T is a big believer in community service and the funds will help the American Heart Association of Seattle-Tacoma fight against heart disease and stroke. Working toward a great cause is a way for us to give back as a team.

AT&T employees chose the event because cardiovascular disease is still a number one cause of death in the U.S. It touches nearly all of us, our families and friends. The Heart & Stroke Walk celebrates those who have made lifestyle changes and encourages many more to take the pledge to live healthier lifestyles while raising the dollars needed to fund life-saving research and initiatives in our local community.

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MLS ALL-STAR OSVALDO ALONSO MEETS FANS AND SIGNS AUTOGRAPHS AT AT&T STORE IN BELLEVUE @OzzieAlonso

MLS All-Star Osvaldo Alonso joined fans this past Monday, Oct. 12 at the AT&T retail store at Lincoln Square in Bellevue. Soccer fans lined up for the opportunity to meet Alonso during a public autograph session.

As title sponsor of the  2015 AT&T MLS All-Star Game, AT&T is proud to connect thousands of  fans to the most popular sport in the world. For more information on how  AT&T keeps fans connected to their favorite sports, teams and athletes,  please visit att.com/sponsorships.

About Osvaldo Alonso

In 2014, Alonso started in 33 of 34 MLS regular season games with the Sounders FC, including a club-record 150th career appearance against New England (May 11). Across all competitions, Alonso appeared in 39 matches, netting two goals and adding two assists. Alonso was selected to the MLS All-Star team for the fourth consecutive season.  Alonso represented Cuba 17 times at the senior level, scoring two goals. He made his debut for the senior Cuban National Team in a Caribbean Nations Cup match against the Turks & Caicos Islands in September 2006. Alonso served as captain of the U-23 National Team during qualification for the 2008 Olympics.

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AT&T Employees Volunteer at @VOAWW Everett Food bank

AT&T employees recently volunteered at the @VOAWW Everett Food bank sorting food for the local community. The crew sifted through roughly 2,500lbs worth of food, categorized and boxed the food to be redistributed to other food banks in the area.

“It was a great way for us to connect with our community as well as build relationships with our local non-profits,” said Nate Knodel, Sales Program Execution Lead, AT&T. “We hope to partner with the organization again this holiday season when they run their Fill the Bus campaign, which gathers toys for underprivileged families.”

Team Members involved left to right: Clint Swindell (ARSL), Nathan Skifstad (RSM), Nate Knodel (SEL), Mitch Spong (RSM), Seneca Luetke (ARSM), Nicole Denham (RSM), John Knuth (SEL) and Manfredo Rendon (ARSM).

Approximately 140,000 hours of personal time given by AT&T employees and retirees in Washington to community outreach activities during the past five years – worth more than $3 million. And, more than $8.4 million was contributed by AT&T and its employees during the past five years through giving programs in Washington.

About Volunteers of America Western Washington (VOAWW)

Many local economic factors contribute to this demand on our food bank services and we find that the vast majority of our main customers, over 50% of which are children and seniors, come from working households, families on unemployment, or those on fixed incomes who struggle to make ends meet.  

Volunteers of America Western Washington has food banks in Everett, Sultan, Mill Creek, and Greenwood/North Seattle which distribute emergency food to families, children, seniors, and individuals in need.  Not only do we provide food to those in need, we work with community partners and coalitions to leverage community resources, raise awareness, and support for our hungry neighbors.

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A Digital Life in Aurora, Oregon

One of the fun things that I sometimes get to do for work is host media events and I recently had the opportunity to do so with some of my favorite people in Oregon.  Jason Harris from Tech Craver, Carol Jones from All Mommy Wants, Pepper and TJ Ferguson of Pepper Scraps, Jana, Kellen, Kelly, Karen, Beau, Denise, Melissa – the list goes on. You know who you are and I enjoyed seeing all of you!

Jason Harris (Right) and I take a second to pose for a photo with the Willamette River behind us. Great location! 

We got together at a home in Aurora to see the latest in home automation and security – AT&T Digital Life.  Digital Life is a home automation and security system that allows you to secure your home, check in on your kids or pets, adjust the temperature, let repair people in the front door, or check to see if you closed your garage door and much more from almost anywhere on your smartphone, tablet or PC.  I know because I have Digital Life too! 

Erika, the home owner, took us on a tour of her home, showing everyone how she uses her smartphone, tablet and PC to control outside and inside video cameras, window/door sensors, motion and glass break sensors, door locks, moisture detection, appliance power controls and more.  Digital Life also allows you to control smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detection, your thermostat and more.

Even though I don’t have all of these ‘bells and whistles’ yet on my Digital Life service, I’m amazed at how much I’ve been able to simplify my home management with the Smart Security package ($39.99/month) .  I can create custom automatic programs and set them to happen at the touch of a button, at a certain time every day or when triggered by certain events.  

For example, I’ve used it to let an out of town friend in the front door when I was delayed, check to make sure our cat sitter came when we were on vacation and alert me when our boys leave the front door unlocked too long. In the case of my boys, I created a custom automatic program so that when they leave the door open for 60 minutes, Digital Life sends me a text message and automatically locks the deadbolt. 

My sons learn a lesson about leaving the door unlocked and an open door to intruders is one less thing I to have to worry about. 

If you’d like to check out Digital Life, visit:  https://att.com/digitallife. The webpage has much more detail on service features, customer benefits, pricing and videos - much more than I’ve shared here.  If you’ve ever considered a home security system, or are intrigued by all the cool things home automation can do, I recommend you check out Digital Life.

And my sincere thanks to everyone who toured the recent Digital Life Open House.  It was great to see all of you! -Andy

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AT&T Employees Participate in 2015 Anchorage Heart Walk @American_Heart

This past weekend, AT&T employees participated in the 2015 Anchorage Heart Walk held at the Delaney Park Strip in downtown Anchorage. Despite the rain and cold weather (39 degrees in the morning), an employee group led by AT&T Area Retail Sales Manager Jeff Jefferson, marched on.

                                          Starting point for the walk

AT&T employees Kristin Bohne, Jeff Jefferson and Paula Bell gather before the walk

AT&T employees Jeff Jefferson, Paula Bell, Kristin Bohne and Britni Lange stop for a photograph with Anchorage Fire Department and Subway Mascot before walk.

The American Heart Association is the largest voluntary health organization dedicated to defeating heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. Our mission is to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke — the nation’s No.1 and No.5 killers. Thank you, our walkers, donors and volunteers who help fight heart disease and stroke. 

See more at: http://heartwalk.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1126377#sthash.0mrES8rr.dpuf

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AT&T Employees Support @SOLVEinOregon with Lincoln City Beach Cleanup

AT&T employees from the greater Portland area recently partnered with SOLV for a beach cleanup on September 10, 2015. AT&T volunteers collected 6 bags of garbage near the SW 26th street beach access in Lincoln City, OR.

SOLV is a state-wide non-profit organization that takes action every day to keep Oregon clean and green. They mobilize over 35,000 volunteers and organize over 1,000 cleanup and restoration projects throughout the state. Their mission is to bring Oregonians together to improve our environment.

AT&T employees in the Pacific Northwest have participated in over 20 various volunteer events throughout Washington, Oregon and Alaska with several organizations. #pnwcares

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AT&T NOW HIRING IN WASHINGTON STATE WITH 165 JOBS AVAILABLE

Wireless Carrier Seeking 95 Customer Support Specialists in Bothell and 70 Retail Sales Associates throughout Washington State

 AT&T Hosting Hiring Fair for Customer Support Positions on Friday, September 11, 2015 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at AT&T Bothell Call Center, 3755 Monte Villa Pkwy, Bothell, WA 98021

My employer today announced that it is recruiting candidates for 165 positions available in Washington. The company is seeking to fill 95 customer support specialist jobs in Bothell, Washington, and 70 retail sales associate positions at its retail stores throughout the state.  

AT&T employee benefits include benefits include: medical/dental/vision, ability to earn up to 22 paid days off per year, discounts on AT&T products and services, tuition reimbursement, pre-taxed flexible spending accounts, life insurance and 401K with a company match.

About AT&T Customer Support Specialist Jobs

AT&T is seeking both Customer Support Specialists and Live Chat Customer Support Specialists at the company’s Call Center located at 3755 Monte Villa Parkway in Bothell. Customer Support Specialists handle calls from internal and external customers related to troubleshooting, warranties, network coverage, handsets and devices, accessories, billing, rate plans, features and services, and repair. Live Chat Customer Support Specialists correspond with our customers via live chat. They handle inquiries from customers related to billing, rate plans, features, coverage, accessories, troubleshooting and more.  AT&T’s call center features workout facilities, and discounted childcare as well as walking trails and quiet rooms.

AT&T Hiring Fair, September 11, 2015

AT&T is hosting a hiring fair for the Customer Support Specialist Positions on Friday, September 11, 2015 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the company’s Bothell Call Center located at 3755 Monte Villa Pkwy, Bothell, WA 98021. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the Customer Support Specialist careers, meet with AT&T staffing and hiring Managers, apply for the Customer Support Specialist role, be tested and interviewed on the spot.  Attendees will also learn about the benefits we offer and our career growth opportunities. Job seekers who are interested but unable to attend the hiring fair may apply online today at http://attlinks.com/bothellcallcenter.

About AT&T Retail Sales Associate Jobs

AT&T’s current full-time Retail Sales Consultants earn an average of $47,175.00 in total compensation in the first year when successfully meeting or exceeding sales goals. Retail Sales Consultant role and responsibilities include: developing and attaining customer experience and sales objectives for the store; selling products and services offered by the company; handling administrative aspects of the sale including  completing customer contracts and warranties, pulling products from inventory, accepting customer payments and filing the completed orders; and more.

“AT&T is innovating and investing in Washington to make sure our customers continue to have the best retail experience, customer service, products and services available,” said Bob Bass, Washington President, AT&T. “Anyone who is interested in being part of a great company and making a positive difference for the people of Washington should check out AT&T.”

AT&T employs approximately 4,500 people in Washington. With highly competitive wages and benefits, AT&T jobs are among the best in the United States.  Interested job seekers may apply online by visiting the AT&T online job center at http://att.jobs.  Selected candidates will receive paid job training.

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AT&T Provides Communications Support to Oregon Department of Forestry to Help Battle the #Stouts Wildfire

AT&T has deployed a COW (Cell on Wheels) to a site east of Canyonville, Oregon to provide communications support to the Oregon Department of Forestry that is actively battling the Stouts Fire Wildfire 16 miles east of Canyonville; one mile south of Milo.

The Stouts wild fire has burned approximately 16,500 Acres and is only 10% contained.  The Oregon Department of Forestry command center is set up away from the firefighting lines, limiting their ability to effectively communicate.  AT&T’s COW arrived yesterday afternoon and is now on-air and close enough to the fire line to provide communications support for the roughly 1,500 fire fighters combating the fire. 

AT&T’s COW provides enhanced cellular service in the deployment area, and is targeted to support those working in the command site to help keep communications flowing. As a self-contained mobile cell site, a COW can be quickly set up to replace lost capacity from a damaged permanent site, or as in this case, provide supplemental cellular capacity to an area experiencing an increase in demand.

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Have You Ever Drove Away from Your House and Realized that You Left a Door Unlocked?

Hey..Lane County Residents: Have you ever been cruising down the highway headed towards your vacation destination, when you realized that you left a light on at your house? Or maybe you were sitting on the runway waiting for your flight to take off when you remembered that you left the coffee pot on. With AT&T Digital Life, these inconveniences are no longer an issue.

Starting today, Lane County residents can experience the future of home security and automation as AT&T Digital Life expands in Eugene, Cottage Grove, Creswell, Dexter, Junction City, Marcola, Pleasant Hill, Springfield, and Veneta. 

Digital Life is an all-digital, fully integrated, wireless home security and automation service designed to bring peace of mind to consumers when they’re away from home. Digital Life can offer you a stress free vacation through an easy-to-use app that can be accessed from your smartphone, tablet or PC.  

AT&T Digital Life provides the flexibility to build a system exactly how you want. And now residents in zip codes 97408, 97424, 97426, 97431, 97448, 97454, 97455, 97477, 97478, and 97487 can choose from a wide variety of security and automation features that allow them to keep their house safe, conserve energy, monitor potential leaks, and check in on kids or pets. Each package is customized to meet the needs of each home.

Digital Life is developed entirely by AT&T, not a reseller of products like you might find with competitors – from building our own US-based monitoring centers, hiring security and automation professionals for a seamless install, to offering a simple purchasing process online and in our retail stores.

A video overview of Digital Life home automation and security is available here:

For a limited time, new customers can get Digital Life Smart Security + Outdoor Camera + Garage Door equipment for $99. With easy to use features, customers can control their home from almost anywhere using a smartphone, tablet or computer. One app controls the security system, lights, door locks, cameras and more. Digital Life works with almost any home Internet service and wireless phone service, giving customers flexibility and peace of mind.

Actively Protect & Control: Starting with 24/7 professional monitored home security, customers know what’s happening at home, even if they’re across town or out of town. Operating its own U.S.-based monitoring centers, AT&T professionals respond to emergencies by alerting police and fire authorities.

Connected To You: Customers can control the system with an app available for iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows phones and select Kindle Fire phones and tablets. The service starts with a wireless home management system run from a simple hub. The app also protects customers’ privacy, requiring a log-in each time you open the app.

Simple & Intuitive: The app makes it easy to manage a home. Customers can add optional packages to control cameras, door locks, lights, thermostats, small appliances and more. They can also set alerts or programs to manage their home.

Personalized & Flexible: Customers can set custom notifications and scheduled tasks. Customers with the energy package can program the thermostat to turn off or on at the same time every day, based on their schedule. They can add devices and services as their lifestyle changes.

Additional Pricing

Digital Life starts with the Smart Security package. It includes enhanced security features and the ability to add home automation. Smart Security also offers 24/7 home monitoring and professional installation. It includes remote access, wireless keypad, keychain remote, three-pack of recessed sensors, three-pack of contact sensors, a motion sensor and an indoor siren.

The price is $39.99 a month plus $149.99 for equipment before taxes or fees. Customers can also choose optional automation packages to meet their needs.

Camera Package: View live video from inside and outside the house for an     extra $9.99 a month.

Energy Package: Control small appliances, lighting and thermostats for     convenience and energy efficiency for an extra $4.99 a month.

Door Package: Let a pet sitter or repair person in when no one is home     with automated door locks. They can also check to see if the garage door     is open or closed. This package includes an automated door lock or a     remote garage door controller for $4.99 a month.      

Water Detection Package: Send notification(s) when water leaks are     detected for an additional $4.99 a month.

Water Control Package: Detect leaks and shut off water at the main water     source for an extra $9.99 a month.

Experience Digital Life

A live demonstration of Digital Life is available in more than 1,400 AT&T retail stores. Customers can also build a package and buy at att.com/digitallife or by calling 855-288-2727 or scheduling an appointment with an in-home sales consultant. To learn more about Digital Life availability, visit www.att.com/digitallife.

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AT&T Uses Virtual Reality to Help Reduce Potentially Fatal Automobile Accidents #ItCanWait

This year marks AT&T’s fifth anniversary of the award-winning, cause-related It Can Wait campaign. For years, AT&T has been focused on curbing texting while driving, but a recent survey found that 7-in-10 people engage in smartphone activities while driving, sparking the campaign to evolve to include other forms of smartphone distractions including social media, web surfing, video chatting and more.

Today, as part of the It Can Wait movement, AT&T announced a new Virtual Reality simulation app, 100-city VR tour, long-form video and advertising spots to coincide with the evolution of the campaign (click here).

The It Can Wait Driving Simulation (VR app), developed by Reel FX (a Golden Globe-nominated animation studio), provides an unprecedented level of immersion by using virtual reality to give viewers a 360-degree account of what it is really like to text/post/video chat while driving and the potentially deadly consequences of glancing at your phone while driving.

To help broaden recognition of this issue, AT&T and BBDO have developed a compelling long-form video "Close to Home" and  series of three 30-second ad spots that showcase the consequences of smartphone distracted driving behaviors.

Through slow-motion cinematography (shot at 1000 frames per second), viewers are able to see the jarring aftermath of taking their eyes off the road to glance at or tap on a smartphone while driving. The video contextualizes a normal day that turns life-threatening when a driver makes an unsafe choice behind the wheel. The scene plays back in reverse, showing the actual cause of the tragedy at the very end, where the simple cause of using a phone while driving is revealed. 

The 30-second ad spots that will run nationwide beginning today July 17 and can also be viewed here: "No Post",  "No Email", "No Glance"

Since its launch in 2010, the It Can Wait campaign has:

Helped drive awareness of the dangers of texting while driving to about 90% for all audiences surveyed.

Inspired more than 6.5 million pledges not to text and drive.

Worked with departments of transportation in Texas, Kentucky and other states on research that suggests a correlation between It Can Wait campaign activities and a reduction in crashes.

Visit www.ItCanWait.com to learn more.