AT&T on Track to Hit FTTH Target of 67 Major Metros

Google Fiber may have decided to rein in its fiber ambitions, but AT&T is one of a number of US companies that is keeping its foot firmly on the fiber throttle. (See Google Fiber Hits Pause Button, Scales Back and Why Google Fiber Has Stumbled, the Lessons to Learn & Why Moving to Fixed Wireless Won't Solve the Problem.)

AT&T said it now covers 46 major metro areas with its fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network and is on track to reaching its target of at least 67 metros, although it has not yet revealed the timeline for this rollout plan.

The US operator has at least beaten its goal for 2016: in October, it said it intended to reach 45 metros by the end of this year. The latest areas to receive 1Gbit/s connectivity under the AT&T Fiber brand include parts of the Greenville, S.C. and Little Rock areas, and more parts of the Sacramento area.

The service is now being marketed to more than 3 million locations nationwide, of which AT&T said over 500,000 include apartments and condo units. "We're on track to meet the 12.5 million locations planned by mid-2019," the company added.

AT&T has been stepping up its FTTH rollout in recent months, reaching a further 11 major metros in October and introducing the AT&T Fiber umbrella brand. Internet-only pricing for customers who choose AT&T Internet 1000 starts at $90 a month, with dual- and triple-play service also on offer.

— Anne Morris, Associate Editor, UBB2020