AT&T spending $14 billion on expanding their wireless infastructure

[HeyCori]

Now if only they would spend some of that dough to offer cable internet and ditch DSL.

AT&T to spend $14 billion over the next three years on broadband, wireless infrastructure -- Engadget

AT&T has announced that it will be dropping a cool $14 billion over the next three years to beef up its wireless and wireline broadband networks. Project Velocity IP (VIP) will see the company attempt to boost its 4G LTE network to support 300 million users by year-end 2014 and expand its wired IP broadband base to 75 percent of customer locations by late 2015. In addition, the operator intends to have fiber deployed to a million business locations and plans to expand U-verse (internet, TV and phone combos) by 8.5 million to 33 million customer locations. When it's all said and done, AT&T predicts that 99 percent of customers will get broadband services one way or other, with $8 billion in investment heading toward wireless projects and $6 billion goosing up wired broadband -- so, nobody can say the telecom giant is hoarding all those profits. Check the PR after the jump for a full breakdown.

 

[conanheath]

So that's why I'm paying $120 a month for a cell phone. :/ I really can't complain about their service though. Their LTE smokes Verizon 4G any day of the week in Dallas area.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Now if only they would spend some of that dough to offer cable internet and ditch DSL.

There won't ever be cable Internet from AT&T. AT&T does not use DOCSIS and coaxial cable networks.

Beside DSL, AT&T offers FTTN (fiber to the node) via its U-verse.

 

[HeyCori]

When you look at AT&Ts speed/price, their U-Verse service just can't compare to cable. AT&T is currently running a deal where you get 12 months of U-Verse 12Mbps internet for $55 a month. Then it jumps up like $20-$30 dollars. Before I changed my plan, I was paying $60 something for 30Mbps on Comcast. The speed/price difference is insane. I'm not sure if AT&T charges more because they're greedy or if there's some underlying flaw in the technology that makes it more costly to manage.

 

[independentvolume]

Sweet, spend it in my area so I can drop Verizon.

 

[Laura Knotek]

When you look at AT&Ts speed/price, their U-Verse service just can't compare to cable. AT&T is currently running a deal where you get 12 months of U-Verse 12Mbps internet for $55 a month. Then it jumps up like $20-$30 dollars. Before I changed my plan, I was paying $60 something for 30Mbps on Comcast. The speed/price difference is insane. I'm not sure if AT&T charges more because they're greedy or if there's some underlying flaw in the technology that makes it more costly to manage.

The fastest is fiber optic, but Verizon is done expanding its FiOS offerings. Google is getting into some markets.

 

[mrmdj316]

So that means the areas where 3G was never deployed will actually get 3G and perhaps 4G LTE?

 

[HeyCori]

So that means the areas where 3G was never deployed will actually get 3G and perhaps 4G LTE?

We can only hope.

 

[mrmdj31675]

The reason I said that is because AT&T left 20% of their coverage area on 2G (EDGE), and where I live was one of the very last areas of the country where they upgraded to 3G, even though they upgraded smaller markets and the three major markets surrounding where I live (Springfield, MA, which is surrounded by Hartford CT, Providence RI, and Boston MA). Even T-Mobile upgraded to 3G before they did but not before Verizon and Sprint (my carrier for nearly 10 years).