Company

Southern Linc, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), is an Atlanta-based regional wireless carrier with network coverage in metro and rural areas of Alabama, Georgia, southeast Mississippi and northwest Florida.

Southern Linc bundles multiple communication options, including Push To Talk (PTT) two-way radio, cellular service, wireless Internet access, wireless data, and text and picture messaging, into one hand-held device.

Southern Company is a leading U.S. producer of electricity with nearly 4.4 million customers and more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity. Built to meet the communications needs of Southern Company’s local power companies – Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Mississippi Power and Gulf Power – the Southern Linc network was designed to provide reliable, private communications throughout the company’s Regional Calling Area.

Southern Linc began offering commercial service in February 1996; moreover, Southern Company and its subsidiaries have been serving the Southeast for more than 100 years. The word LINC, fixed in the company name, stands for Long-range Integrated Network Communications.

Coverage

The Southern Linc network is digital and private, covering approximately 127,000 square miles across the Southeast. There is no known scanner that can intercept communications over the Southern Linc network – a critical factor for many customers who must transmit confidential information using their Southern Linc devices. The company’s customer base is comprised of business, government and consumer users.

Equipment

Southern Linc utilizes Motorola’s Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN) technology to combine communications services that previously required several devices.

The Southern Linc portfolio of phones offers something for everyone, and many handsets meet military specifications. Rugged models, such as the one-watt Motorola r765 or the intrinsically safe Motorola i365IS, are built to withstand tough conditions for industries such as public safety, construction and utilities.

Reliability

Since day one, Southern Linc built in redundancies, power back-ups and security features designed to deliver consistent communications, even during severe weather conditions.

The Southern Linc network is built to weather-grade specifications, including reinforced cell sites designed to withstand winds up to 120 mph along the coast and heavy rain and ice loads in the northern part of its footprint. The company has a proven track record of providing reliable communications during and after several major tornadoes and hurricanes, including Erin, Opal, Ivan, Katrina, the Tuscaloosa tornadoes and the 2014 Atlanta ice storms.