AT&T Upgrades Chattanooga's Technology With 3G, U-verse Coming

For early adopters, the technology just caught up to their high-tech phones.

Two-months ago, those in Chattanooga with devices like I-phones, noticed a significant boost in Internet speed.  That broadband-like access comes from AT&T's new 3G wireless service network.  Steve Sitton with AT&T Wireless's Southeast Division says "with several of our devices you see exactly what you have on your computer so you don't experience that boiled down version as in the past where you didn't get the pictures or all the information."

3G makes on-demand video streaming possible, with several television entities now supplying mobile content.  "Its getting more like what people are used to on their home computer," says Sitton.

The advancements represent a $400 million investment in Tennessee over the past three years.  Mayor Ron Littlefield says "this puts us on the leading edge. There are 300 or so cities that have this service and we're one of them."

Another upgrade planned in this market, trades a phone for a remote, as AT&T ventures into the video services industry.  Tennessee granted AT&T a franchise last month to offer video services.

"U-verse" uses Internet Protocol to supply video feeds to the home.  Greg Morton, President of AT&T Tennessee, says "with our service, when you request a channel, you get one channel at a time coming down the network so that gives us capacity advantages over cable."

In its filing with the state, AT&T listed Chattanooga and Hamilton County among areas it plans to offer U-verse service.  Morton says "I think you can definitely say sooner than later, we're working as hard as we can to make sooner as soon as possible."

The company has two-years to get its service operational, somewhere in Tennessee.

AT&T says its' video service will offer a channel line-up similar to what's currently in the market, except most of their channels will be in High Definition.

The service will also allow you to pause a show in one room, and then continue the video feed in another.