Aug. 26--A growing number of Muskogee smart phone and laptop users have faster Internet speed and live streaming videos as more area providers beef up their technology.

AT&T became the latest company to launch a third-generation, or 3G, mobile broadband network in Muskogee by announcing the new service Tuesday morning at the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame Museum.

Muskogee area Sprint customers have had 3G service for a while, according to Alexander Hahn, Sprint community and public relations manager.

US Cellular rolled out its mobile broadband service in Muskogee on July 6, said Jack Sampson, retail sales manager for the US Cellular store at 2406-D E. Shawnee Bypass.

Sue Harris, executive director for Greater Muskogee Area Chamber of Commerce said such advanced technology helps attract business to Muskogee and helps personal users as well.

"It helps us attract new jobs and businesses when they know they can get 3G service access on their laptops and iPhones," Harris said. "As a traveler, I recently went on a trip to Colorado and sometimes lost service. When I'm trying to do business on the road, it means so much when that 3G icon pops up."

During the AT&T roll-out event, sales director Lora Lee Laird said phone users already notice how much faster their services are.

"It's faster in terms of access. You can access YouTube or Facebook right on the phone and have live streaming videos," she said.

That means parents can use their iPhones to take videos of their kids' soccer game and send them to someone else.

The AT&T 3G network now delivers LaptopConnect users typical downloading speeds of between 700 kilobits and 1.7 megabits per second, and uploading speeds from 500 kilobits and 1.2 megabits per second.

"That is really, really super-blazing fast," Laird said.

Uploading means to send a file from your computer or smart phone to another system. Downloading means to receive a file from another system.

AT&T upgraded 14 cell sites in the Muskogee area with 3G technology, a media release said.

Sampson said the US Cellular mobile broadband service "covers all the way down to McAlester and covers Eufaula."

"As far as browsing, it is on the average, 10 times faster than dial-up service," he said.

US Cellular Communications Manager Jonathan Guerin confirmed that the mobile broadband is 3G technology.

Hahn said the Sprint 3G technology allows customers to download large files quickly and access high-speed data applications on handheld or connection devices. A media release said downloads will have an average speed of 768 kilobits per second while uploads will have an average speed of 200 kilobits per second.

The Sprint media release said the 3G provides users with an average upload speed of 350 to 500 kilobits per second and download speeds between 600 kilobits and 1.4 megabits per second.

Reach Cathy Spaulding at 918-684-2928 or Click Here to Send Email

-----

To see more of the Muskogee Phoenix or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.muskogeephoenix.com.

Copyright (c) 2009, Muskogee Phoenix, Okla.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

NYSE:T, NYSE:S, AMEX:USM, NASDAQ-NMS:GOOG,

A service of YellowBrix, Inc.