AT&T speeding up smartphones at Heinz Field

PITTSBURGH — AT&T and the Pittsburgh Steelers have added equipment to Heinz Field that will let the company's smartphone users get better service.

The equipment, known as a Distributed Antenna System, is meant to prevent slowdowns that AT&T customers can receive when thousands of fans use their phones at games to make calls, and send emails text messages or photos.

AT&T's upgrades come a month after the company began offering 4G service in the Pittsburgh market. Verizon Wireless has been offering the high-speed data service since December 2010.

She says those fans will now have a "faster experience."

AT&T spokeswoman Brandy Bell-Trusky says, "We know there are a lot of folks who come to the game every week and want to text and tweet because it's part of the fan experience now."