Mobilize South Florida

Always on the go, like most South Floridians. This page is about how our world is becoming mobilized, and other personal interests. I'm big on family, animals and sugar, but not always in that order! ;-) I'm a mom, a media relations manager (AT&T) and a South Florida native.Opinions my own. [Whose else would they be? ;-) ]

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AT&T Brings in a COW to Boost Service at the Boat Show in Miami

As thousands gather to enjoy the big boat show in Miami, AT&T is keeping the data-hungry crowds connected. We’re bringing in extra network support so customers can share their experience at the event with friends and family.

Here’s how. We’ve set up a cell tower on wheels (COW) to get ready for the large number of smartphone users at the boat show. The COW is boosting internet connectivity. The improved coverage at the show will give customers faster and more reliable connections.

“Events like this boat show are full of moments customers want to share through texts, pictures, status updates, and phone calls,” said Joe York, AT&T Florida president. “We’re working to give them great coverage and fast speeds.”

AT&T has the nation’s best data network.* We continue to see increased data usage across our mobile network, especially at big events. In fact, data on our mobile network has increased about 250,000% since 2007. The majority of that traffic is video.

For more information about AT&T coverage, visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer. For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit the AT&T network news page.

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Cricket Wireless Expands in South Florida

Four new Cricket Wireless stores have opened in Davie, Boynton Beach, Loxahatchee and Jupiter. They are located at:

·       The Lincoln Park Davie Shopping Center at 6802 Stirling Road;

·       The Boynton Plaza at 121 N. Congress Avenue;

·       The Loxahatchee Groves Commons at 15597 Southern Boulevard; and

·       The Concourse Square Shopping Center at 75 E. Indiantown Road in Jupiter.

New Davie Cricket Wireless store

Jupiter Cricket Wireless store

SunCom Mobile owns and operates the new Davie store; Y&S Immokalee owns and operates the new Jupiter and Loxahatchee stores; and Wireless One owns the new Boynton store.

Cricket Wireless brings customers:

·       Simple, transparent plans, starting at $30/month;

·       No annual contract;

·       Rate plan pricing that includes monthly taxes and fees;

·       Unlimited talk and text nationwide with all plans;

·       The power of a nationwide 4G LTE network that covers 319* people; and

·       A great selection of smartphones from Samsung, LG, Alcatel, ZTE and others.

Boynton Beach Cricket Wireless store

“At Cricket, our goal is to give customers something to smile about,” said Leon Duarte, market director for Cricket Wireless. “That’s why we deliver a simple, smart wireless experience that people deserve.”

Store hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday.

With these latest openings, there are now 22 Cricket Wireless stores in Broward County and 19 in Palm Beach County.

Loxahatchee Cricket Wireless store

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AT&T Expands Wireless Coverage in Aventura

A new AT&T cell site is expanding wireless coverage in Aventura near the Aventura Mall and Turnberry Isle Resort. 

The new cell site is one of many network upgrades AT&T has completed in South Florida this year. We have added new cell sites in lower Brickell, Hollywood, Hialeah and Boca Raton. We have also strengthened hundreds of cell sites from Key West to Vero Beach. 

The upgrades make it possible for the cell sites to handle more network traffic. This means improved reliability and overall service performance. 

“We work hard to deliver a great network experience for our customers where they live, work and play,” said AT&T Florida President Joe York. “That’s why we continue to invest in our South Florida networks.” 

To learn more about AT&T coverage in South Florida, visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer. For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit the AT&T Network news page.

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New AT&T Cell Site Boosting Coverage for Customers in Brickell Area

AT&T is giving our wireless customers the gift of expanded coverage in the lower Brickell area of Miami this holiday season. 

A new cell site on Brickell Avenue is boosting coverage between S.W. 20th Road and S.W. 19th Road in a dense residential area with several high-rises. 

The new cell site is one of many network upgrades AT&T has completed in South Florida this year. We have added new cell sites in Hollywood, Hialeah and Boca Raton. We have also strengthened hundreds of cell sites from Key West to Vero Beach. The upgrades make it possible for the cell sites to handle more network traffic. This means improved reliability and overall service performance. 

“We work hard to deliver a great network experience for our customers where they live, work and play,” said AT&T Florida President Joe York. “That’s why we continue to invest in our South Florida networks.” 

To learn more about AT&T coverage in South Florida, visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer. For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit the AT&T Network news page.

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AT&T Opens Store at Brickell City Centre in Miami

AT&T is expanding its retail presence in Miami. Just in time for the holidays, we have opened a spacious 5,800-plus square-foot store at the Brickell City Centre. The store design engages shoppers. It encourages them to explore and interact with our latest products and services. 

Customers can check out solutions, devices and accessories across 3 unique zones in the store: 

Connected Experience Zone: “lifestyle vignettes” show how you can use products every day. This zone highlights music, home security,     entertainment and more.         

Community Zone: visitors can shop and play at interactive “community tables.” This section of the store displays apps, accessories and devices, so customers can see how they can work together. 

Explore Zone: “explore walls” show a variety of AT&T’s devices and accessories. Digital monitors next to the accessories show how they work. 

“Shoppers at our new Brickell City Centre store will have an interactive, hands-on mobile and entertainment experience,” said Cristy Swink, AT&T Florida vice president general manager. “We want to provide an exceptional experience, and we’ve been working hard to take our stores and network to a new level here in South Florida.”

 A Better Experience

Customers will be able to have a mobile shopping experience. Instead of “cash-register” counters, they will find round, café-style “learning tables.” They can chat with an AT&T retail consultant there to ask questions or learn about a product or service. All retail consultants carry a tablet so they can help customers anywhere in the store. 

The store also uses digital signage, e-brochures and interactive video monitors to give customers the information they want at their fingertips.

Store information

The new store is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 7 p.m. 

 AT&T has 18 company-owned stores in Miami-Dade County and more than 125 statewide. 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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AT&T Upgrades Nearly 300 Cell Sites to Boost Service for Customers

AT&T is improving mobile service for South Florida customers. We have strengthened nearly 300 cell sites from Key West to Vero Beach.

The upgrades make it possible for the cell sites to handle more network traffic. This means improved reliability and overall service performance. Nearly 250 of the upgraded cell sites are in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Areas benefiting from the network improvements include:

Aventura, Carol City, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Cutler Bay, Cutler Ridge, Doral, Everglades National Park, Goulds, Hialeah, Hialeah Gardens, Homestead, Kendale Lakes, Kendall, Kendall West, Key Biscayne, Medley, Miami (Downtown, Midtown, Little Havana), Miami Beach, Miami Gardens, Miami Lakes, Miami Shores, Opa-Locka, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, Richmond Heights, South Miami, South Miami Heights, Sweetwater, University of Miami, Virginia Gardens, West Doral, West Hialeah, West Kendall, West Miami, and West Perrine in Miami-Dade County;

Coconut Creek, Cooper City, Coral Springs, Dania, Dania Beach, Davie, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hallandale, Hallandale Beach, Hillsboro, Hollywood, Lauderdale Lakes, Lauderhill, Margate, Miramar, North Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Pompano Beach, Southwest Ranches, Sunrise, Tamarac, West Pembroke Pines, and Weston in Broward County; and

Abacoa, Belle Glade, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Juno Ridge, Jupiter, Lake Worth, Loxahatchee, Mangonia Park, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Riviera Beach, Royal Palm Beach, The Acreage, Wellington, and West Palm Beach in Palm Beach County.

“We work hard to deliver a great network experience for our customers where they live, work and play,” said AT&T Florida President Joe York. “That’s why we continue to invest in our South Florida networks.”

To learn more about AT&T coverage in South Florida, visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer. For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit the AT&T Network news page.

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AT&T Day of Giving Helps Local School

Dozens of AT&T employee volunteers recently gave Horace Mann Middle School in El Portal a facelift. 

The volunteers painted murals, constructed benches, an outdoor classroom stage and a picnic table, did landscaping, repaired garden beds, and more.

In addition to the employee volunteers, AT&T covered the cost of all the supplies and materials needed for the work.

The beautification project is part of AT&T’s focus on community engagement.

The company gives management employees a paid day each year to volunteer their time and services to an organization or cause of their choice.

In 2015, AT&T employees and retirees volunteered more than 5.4 million hours of time in community outreach activities.

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AT&T Gives Miami Dade College $25,000 for DronesUp Program

AT&T is helping South Florida students learn about drone technology. We are contributing $25,000 to Miami Dade College (MDC) for its new DronesUp program. 

AT&T is an advocate of drone technology. Our national drone program is driving innovation and technology as we focus on enhancing our network and developing advanced solutions for our customers. 

DronesUp is an extensive 8-week training course that provides live flight sessions and lectures to master the art of safe drone technology and operation. Students who complete the program will earn an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) course completion certificate, having mastered proper flight control and hardware maintenance for safe and legal flight within U.S. airspace. Students will also develop an enhanced understanding of how drones are changing diverse industries, including agriculture, real estate, health care, and more.

Instructors from MDC’s Eig-Watson School of Aviation provide the drone training, while the Idea Center, MDC’s hub for innovation, educates students regarding the business aspects of the industry. The combination of theory and hands-on learning prepares students for careers as commercial drone pilots.

Together, AT&T and MDC are pushing the envelope on what’s technologically possible for drones.

For more on the DronesUp program, visit http://theideacenter.co/dronesup/ .

For more information on AT&T’s drone program, click here.

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More Coverage for AT&T Customers in Hialeah

A new AT&T cell site in Hialeah is helping customers use their smartphones in more places. The cell site is on Palm Avenue near W. 49th Street. The network upgrade is one of many we have completed in South Florida this year.

Since the start of the year, AT&T has strengthened hundreds of cell sites to improve reliability and overall performance for customers. We have added extra capacity to sites so they can handle more network traffic. We have also upgraded our network at the pro football stadium in Miami to boost coverage for tailgaters.

“Our networks are at the heart of everything we do for our customers. That’s why we continually invest in them,” said AT&T Florida President Joe York. “We want our customers to be able to use their mobile devices virtually anywhere.”

AT&T spent nearly $900 million in its wireless and wired networks in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties during 2013-15.

To learn more about AT&T coverage in South Florida, visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer. For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit the AT&T network news page.

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AT&T Offers Communication Tips for Hurricane Matthew

With Hurricane Matthew expected to impact Florida’s east coast, below are some tips to help keep you connected with loved ones before, during and after the storm:

Keep your mobile phone battery charged. In case of a power outage,   have another way to charge your phone like an extra battery, car charger   or device-charging accessory. 

Consider getting an emergency phone. For example, the SpareOne Emergency Phone features a flashlight, glow-in-the-dark keypad, a panic siren and a SOS signal built into the phone. It also includes a Locate & Alert service. You can send your location to up to 5 people in an emergency.

Keep your mobile devices dry. The biggest threat to your device during a hurricane is water.  Keep it safe from the elements by storing it in a baggie or some other type of protective covering. Consider an Otterbox phone cover.

Have a family communications plan. Choose someone out of the area   as a central contact. If separated, that is the person family members should contact. Practice your emergency plan in advance.

Program all of your emergency contact numbers and e-mail addresses into your mobile phone. Numbers should include the police department, fire station and hospital, as well as your family members.

Forward your home number to your mobile number in the event of an evacuation. Call forwarding goes out from the telephone central     office. This means you will get calls from your landline phone, even if     your local telephone service is down. If the central office is not     operational, services such as voicemail and call forwarding may be useful. 

Track the storm and access weather information on your mobile device. Many homes lose power during severe weather. If you have a working mobile device with Internet access, you can watch weather reports through services like AT&T U-verse Live TV . You can also or stay updated with local radar and severe weather alerts through My-Cast® Weather, if you subscribe to those services.

Camera phones provide assistance. If you have a camera phone, take, store and send photos and video clips of damage to your insurance company.

Use location-based technology.  Avoid traffic from downed trees, find evacuation routes, and locate a family member’s wireless device with services like AT&T Navigator and AT&T FamilyMap.

Limit social media activity. Keep social media activity to a minimum during and after a storm to limit network congestion and allow for emergency communications to go through.

 Keeping the lines open for emergencies

Evacuations, the storm event, and aftermath tax network resources. These tips help keep lines open for emergency personnel:·       

Text messaging. During an emergency situation, text messages may go through more quickly than voice calls because they require fewer network resources. All of AT&T wireless devices are text capable. Depending on your text or data plan, additional charges may apply. 

Be prepared for high call volume. During an emergency, many people are trying to use their phones at the same time. This may congest the network, leading to “fast busy” signals on your wireless phone or a slow dial tone on your landline phone. If this happens, hang up, wait several seconds and then try the call again. This allows your original call data to clear the network before you try again. 

Keep non-emergency calls to a minimum. Limit your calls to the most important ones. Chances are many people will try to calls to loved ones, friends and business associates.  

For additional information and tips for disaster preparedness visit www.att.com/vitalconnections.      

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Football Fans Score with Expanded AT&T Coverage at Miami Stadium

AT&T has added more antennas to its outdoor distributed antenna system at Miami’s pro football stadium to expand coverage, especially for tailgaters.

The expanded coverage is timely. Sunday’s nail-biting game between Miami and Cleveland kept football fans busy on their smartphones. They devoured 2.13 terabytes of AT&T data at the game -- that’s equal to 6.1 million football selfies!

The stadium upgrade is just one way AT&T is improving overall network performance for customers in South Florida. We have also added more capacity to hundreds of cell sites this year. The extra capacity makes it possible for the cell sites to handle more network traffic.

“We continually invest in our South Florida networks to deliver a great experience for our customers,” said AT&T Florida President Joe York. “We want them to be able to use their mobile device wherever they live, work, or play.”

AT&T spent nearly $900 million in its wireless and wired networks in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties during 2013-15.

To learn more about AT&T coverage in South Florida, visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer. For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit the AT&T network news page.

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AT&T is Hiring in South Florida

AT&T is hiring for 130 jobs from Key West to Vero Beach. The openings are for network, retail, and call center positions. The majority of the jobs is in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. 

Here is a breakdown of the tri-county openings by location:  

Miami-Dade County 

Bilingual customer service representatives – Miami 

Wire technicians – Miami, Opa-Locka, Palmetto Bay 

Retail sales consultants – Coral Gables, Florida City, Hialeah, Miami, Miami Beach, Miami Gardens, North Miami 

Broward County 

Wire technicians – Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale,      Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Plantation

Retail sales consultants – Coral Springs, Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines

Palm Beach County

Wire technicians – Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Lake Worth, Riviera Beach, West Palm Beach  

Retail sales consultants – Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington, and West Palm Beach.

 Job seekers can get more details at connect.att.jobs/florida.

AT&T hired nearly 950 people in Florida in the first 7 months of this year. We have more than 14,500 employees statewide.

AT&T is one of the largest employers in America, and the nation’s largest private employer of full-time union employees. AT&T also actively recruits military veterans.

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AT&T Pioneers Recognize Graduates with New Laptops

More than 2 dozen Palm Beach County students are celebrating their graduation with a brand new laptop provided by the AT&T Florida Pioneers. The 25 students, graduating with either a high school diploma, a GED or a college degree, received the laptops during a graduation celebration at ChildNet in West Palm Beach. ChildNet is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting abused, neglected and abandoned youth.

One of the students, David Sarris, says his experience in foster care has inspired him to pursue a degree in social work.

David is working on his bachelor’s at FAU, after graduating from Palm Beach State College. 

He says he looks forward to helping kids in foster care put their best foot forward so they avoid a bad experience.

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AT&T Brings in a COW to Beef Up Service at Big Festival in Okeechobee

Music and art fans are gathering for the big festival in Okeechobee this weekend. AT&T* plans to keep the data-hungry crowd connected. We’re bringing in a COW, or Cell on Wheels, for the event. The mobile cell site will help accommodate the extra network traffic generated by all the smartphone users at the event.

AT&T often rolls in COWs for large crowd-drawing events. The additional capacity and coverage provided by a COW bolster voice and Internet connectivity for festival-goers.

“Events like this are full of moments customers want to share through texts, pictures, status updates and phone calls,” said AT&T Florida President Joe York. “We’re working to give customers reliable coverage and fast speeds, so they can get the most out of their mobile devices at the event.”

For more information about AT&T’s coverage visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer.  For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit the AT&T network news page.

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Students Take On Smartphone Distracted Driving in PSA Contest

Keep your eyes on the road, not on your phone.

That was the message students at Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach were tasked with conveying in a public service announcement (PSA) contest. 

The competition was sponsored by the Palm Beach County AT&T Pioneers as part of AT&T’s It Can Wait campaign against smartphone distracted driving. The Pioneers are a network of AT&T employee and retiree volunteers.

The freshman, sophomore and junior classes participated in the contest, which culminated during National Teen Driver Safety Week..

All three classes created strong videos, but in the end, the freshman class took the top prize of $250 for its simple but powerful PSA that shows how texting while driving is as dangerous as driving blind:

The Junior Class received $150 for 2nd place; the Sophomore Class $100 for 3rd. The winning PSA was revealed to the student body during an It Can Wait simulator event at the school on Oct. 21. Students tried their hands at both the It Can Wait Virtual Reality experience and a wheel and pedal distracted driving simulator.

The Pioneers say they hope the PSA contest and simulator event drove home the message that no text, post, e-mail or glance is worth a life. #It Can Wait.

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DIRECTV Launches First Virtual Reality App

DIRECTV, now part of the AT&T family, is taking its first jab at Virtual Reality (VR). The company is giving boxing fans a ringside seat with the new Big Knockout Boxing (BKB) VR App.  

The new app delivers highlights from the June 27 BKB fight event at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. You can experience the blows and knock downs on your VR ready smartphone as if you were actually at the fight.

The BKB VR app is now available for Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition and Cardboard (Android and iOS) headsets.  You can also watch immersive BKB fight highlights in Samsung Milk VR, a premium virtual reality service. With the BKB VR app on the Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition, you can select different fight highlights and close up camera feeds. Download the BKB VR app now from the Oculus™ Store, Google Play, and Apple App Stores.

The BKB VR app was designed as a short form immersive experience focused on presenting a selection of the most exciting fight moments. The app’s immersive content was filmed by a five- camera system designed to capture the event from the perspective of a fan in the audience. 

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AT&T is hiring at its Sunrise call center

AT&T is holding a hiring event Saturday, Oct. 10, for nearly 60 sales consultant positions at its inbound call center in Sunrise. The open house is taking place between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the call center located at 8650 West Oakland Park Blvd., Sunrise 33351.

Call center sales consultants recommend and sell AT&T products and services to meet customers’ needs. The starting pay for the openings is $400 to $632 per week, depending on experience and education. There is a potential for a salary increase every 6 months. Additionally, the sales consultants may earn up to $1,845 per month in target incentives if they meet their sales objectives.

At the Oct. 10 open house, job seekers can meet with AT&T staffing and hiring managers, learn about AT&T career growth opportunities and benefits, fill out an application, and be tested on the spot during the upcoming open house. 

For those who are interested in the jobs but cannot attend the open house, or if some people want to submit an application in advance of the open house, visit http://attlinks.com/floridacallcenters.

The call center positions are among some 170 job openings at AT&T’s Miami and Sunrise call centers announced in September. From January through August, the company has filled more than 1,200 positions in Florida. More than 570 of those jobs are in South Florida.

AT&T is one of the largest employers in America and the nation’s largest private employer of full-time union employees. The company also actively recruits military veterans.

For a look inside AT&T call center careers, check out this video: