AT&T plans for High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 technology, which will provide a speed boost to what is already the fastest 3G mobile broadband network.

Supporting this HSPA 7.2 initiative is AT&T’s ongoing deployment of additional backhaul capacity to cell sites. These backhaul connections add critical capacity to the network to support today’s unprecedented growth in mobile data traffic as well as the future demands of next-generation 4G networks.

AT&T plans to begin deployment of HSPA 7.2 in six major U.S. cities, including Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Miami, with initial service availability expected in these markets by the end of the year. The company plans to deploy HSPA 7.2 in 25 of the nation’s 30 largest markets by the end of 2010, and to reach about 90 percent of its existing 3G network footprint with HSPA 7.2 by the end of 2011.

AT&T plans to invest between $17 billion and $18 billion this year, more than two-thirds of which is going toward broadband and wireless. The company’s deployment of HSPA 7.2 and additional backhaul connections are a key part of this network enhancement strategy.

“Our deployment of HSPA 7.2 and supporting backhaul connectivity will enable our customers to continue to ride the leading edge of emerging devices and thousands of mobile applications,” said John Stankey, president and CEO, AT&T Operations. “Our network is based on the predominant technology platform used by operators worldwide and has been tested by today’s most popular devices. That experience gives us an important advantage in developing and deploying new technologies to meet customers’ future needs.”