AT&T announced Wednesday the availability of its mobile broadband network in Hoffman and Marston, extending access for advanced mobile services, devices and feature-rich audio and video content to customers in the area.

“Today and into the future, broadband is the key to creating jobs in all sectors of North Carolina’s economy, especially in rural areas, and to opening new opportunities in areas such as distance learning and telemedicine,” said State Rep. Ken Goodman of Rockingham.

“I am pleased that the steps we have taken over a number of years to modernize our telecommunications laws are continuing to pay dividends and attract investment that will help fuel economic growth and benefit all citizens, especially those in small communities such as Hoffman and Marston,” Goodman said.

AT&T boasts that it is an industry leader in delivering the benefits of mobile broadband networks, devices and applications. With one of the nation’s fastest mobile broadband networks, AT&T provides accelerated mobile data speeds and simultaneous voice and data capabilities for what AT&T officials call an “amazing” wireless voice and data experience.

“Demand for wireless bandwidth is growing rapidly, and we want to meet that demand for our customers,” said John Lyon, AT&T’s director of External Affairs for Hoffman and Marston. “We’re excited to bring mobile broadband to Hoffman and Marston. Our recently announced agreement to acquire T-Mobile USA also represents a major commitment to strengthen and expand our network. In fact, this deal, if approved, means that we’ll be able to expand the next generation of mobile broadband — 4G LTE — from our current plan of 80 percent of the U.S. population to more than 97 percent.”

AT&T’s mobile broadband network is based on the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) family of technologies that includes GSM and UMTS, the most widely used wireless network platforms in the world. AT&T has the broadest international coverage of any U.S. wireless provider, providing access to voice service in more than 220 countries and data service in more than 200 countries. AT&T also offers voice and data roaming coverage on more than 135 major cruise ships, as well as mobile broadband services in more than 130 countries.

“The same Internet browsing, video streaming and information sharing residents in Hoffman and Marston can utilize from their homes, they now have the opportunity to enjoy on the go,” said Laurent Therivel, AT&T’s vice president and general manager of Mobility and Consumer Markets in the Carolinas. “AT&T’s lightning fast mobile broadband network puts the solutions people enjoy in the palms of their hands.”

AT&T also operates the nation’s largest wi-fi network with nearly 27,000 hotspots in the U.S. and provides access to nearly 190,000 hotspots globally through roaming agreements. Most AT&T smartphone customers get access to the entire national wi-fi network at no additional cost, and wi-fi usage doesn’t count against customers’ monthly wireless data plans.

For more information about AT&T’s coverage in Hoffman, Marston or anywhere in the United States, consumers can visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer. Using the online tool, AT&T customers can measure coverage quality from a street address, intersection, zipcode or even a landmark.

For updates on the AT&T wireless network, visit www.att.com/wireless.