How AT&T is Investing in Virginia

What’s new: In Virginia, we invested nearly $1.1 billion in our network infrastructure from 2020-2024 to connect more people to greater possibility.

Cities and communities throughout Virginia are seeing the impacts of this investment, including:

• Nearly $20 million in the Roanoke area.
• Nearly $175 million in the Richmond area.
• More than $150 million in the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News.

Why it matters: Every American deserves access to fast, reliable connectivity when it matters most – whether it’s an important call to a family member or friend, the internet that powers work or online learning, or the connection that first responders rely on. It’s this connectivity that’s powering economic growth and supporting job creation across America.

Our mission: We’re investing across the country not only to boost network reliability and capacity, but also to expand broadband nationwide to help bridge the digital divide.

How we’re making it happen in Virginia: Committed to expanding connectivity, our investment focuses on all facets of the network —including 5G and FirstNet^®, Built with AT&T.

• Unlocking the Power of 5G: From rural communities to urban areas, our overall wireless voice and data network covers more than 99% of all Americans, including Virginia. Our 5G network using low-band spectrum reaches more than 310 million people in more than 26,100 cities and towns in the U.S.
  • We’re working with businesses from manufacturing to healthcare to create new innovations and increase efficiencies with AT&T 5G.
  • We’re ramping up performance in high traffic areas, like airports, stadiums and venues.
  • For less densely populated areas, we’re expanding our 5G network so people there can have access to reliable connectivity.
  • And we’re working with AST SpaceMobile to be able to offer voice, data, text and video services in remote, off-grid locations.
  • We also launched AT&T Internet Air, our fixed wireless home internet service delivered over our 5G network, an all-in-one device that powers strong Wi-Fi coverage in your home.
• Unprecedented Connectivity for First Responders: As public safety’s partner, we are bringing better connectivity to public safety when — and where — they need it. Now with more than 2.99M square miles of coverage, FirstNet has the largest network footprint in the country, covering more first responders than competing commercial networks, and we are only continuing to grow. As part of our 10-year, $8B+ investment initiative with the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) to transform public safety’s communications, we’ve completed the buildout of 1,000 new FirstNet sites across the country – well ahead of schedule and almost twice as fast compared to the committed timeline – providing first responders with dedicated connectivity on public safety’s Band 14 spectrum. And we’re continuing to expand FirstNet with purpose-built FirstNet sites— based on public safety’s direct feedback and network considerations — focused on rural, tribal and remote areas of the country.
• In Virginia, we’re connecting public safety agencies and organizations in more than 660 localities across the state, including Ashburn, Aldie, Chase City, Culpeper, Danville City, Frederick, Gloucester, Isle of Wright and Manassas City.
• We’ve rolled out Band 14 on nearly 1,550 sites across Virginia to provide public safety with truly dedicated coverage and capacity.

And we’re not just investing in our network, we’re also investing in our communities. AT&T announced last year it’s committing an additional $3 billion by 2030 to help close the digital divide, bringing the company’s total commitment to $5 billion since 2021.

• To help bridge the divide in Giles County, AT&T teamed up with Human I-T to give 100 laptops to local students. The students were selected from five different Giles County schools to receive the laptops, which will come with IT support and access to Microsoft Office.
• We also made a $10,000 contribution to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lynchburg and teamed up with Human I-T to give 100 laptops to local students to help close the digital divide in the Lynchburg area. The club will use the contribution to help students access technology tools and resources at the club, including The Achievery, a free digital learning platform created by AT&T and designed by education experts for teachers, parents, and students.

Good news is always great to share. Here are a few highlights from the last year in Virginia:

• November 11, 2024 | AT&T Upgrades Wireless Network, Boosts Speeds in Virginia. Learn more.
• October 14, 2024 | Connecting Kids Across the DMV to Greater Possibility. Learn more.