AT&T (News - Alert) has announced the launch of AT&T Net Reach, a bundle that provides home and on-the-go high-speed Internet services for consumers and small business customer who are on the go.

 

Brian Shay, senior vice president for Converged Services at AT&T said that knowing that a reliable network virtually shadows your every step of the way, gives consumers the peace of mind they need to stay ahead in today's busy world. He added: “That's exactly what AT&T Net Reach does.”

 

Net Reach, according to AT&T, combines the strengths of AT&T's wireless and wireline networks, and includes AT&T High Speed Internet and LaptopConnect services. In addition, the new service also offers free access to more than 17,000 hot spots with AT&T Wi-Fi service.

 

As part of the LaptopConnect service, new software automatically detects the “strongest available AT&T signal” from a nearby network, 3G, EDGE, Wi-Fi or AT&T High Speed Internet connection at home.

 

Officials said that along with providing high-speed Internet service at home, access to AT&T's 3G wireless network in more than 275 major metro areas, national coverage on AT&T's EDGE wireless network, AT&T Net Reach also provides free access to more than 17,000 Wi-Fi hot spots nationwide, including roughly 7,000 Starbucks locations.

 

AT&T Net Reach is available to new and existing residential and small business customers who subscribe to AT&T High Speed Internet and AT&T LaptopConnect services. Plans start at $79.95 a month.

 

“The strengths of our wireless and wireline networks - working together - are setting a new standard of connectivity for today's consumer,” said Shay.

 

Also today, AT&T announced a more than 20 percent increase to the top end of the its typical 3G network downlink speed range and a 50 percent increase to the top end of the typical uplink speed range for wireless laptop card customers.

 

According to AT&T, the upgrades are results of recent network enhancements, including the deployment of High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) technology across all existing 3G markets before the end of June.