AT&T says it expects Q3 smartphone upgrades to be similar to Q2 levels, at around 6.8 million, which would make it a record Q3 performance. The second-largest operator in the US further expects its smartphone base to increase by more than one million in the three months ended 30 September.

AT&T attributes the Q3 feat to new marketing programs and to a 4G network that it claims is the fastest and most reliable in the country.

However, AT&T expects lower year-on-year smartphone upgrades in Q4, largely because so many customers opted for a Q3 upgrade.

AT&T also announced the completion of its $780 million acquisition of Atlantic Tele-Network acquisition, which retails under the Alltel brand.

The former Alltel network covers approximately 4.5 million people in mainly rural areas in Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio and South Carolina. It has around 590,000 subscribers.

AT&T says it will immediately begin upgrading the former Alltel network and plans to move customers to the AT&T network by mid-year 2014.

AT&T also said it is “exploring opportunities” to monetise some or all of its remaining wireless tower assets.

Bloomberg News reports that AT&T is working with TAP Advisors LLC and JPMorgan Chase & Co on the sale of its tower assets, which could raise about $5 billion according to some estimates.

Possible buyers, says a Bloomberg source, include SBA Communications, Crown Castle International and American Tower.

AT&T releases its full Q3 2013 financial results on 23 October.