Investing in Connection and Community Across Louisiana

David Aubrey, President – AT&T Louisiana
May 29, 2024
Community Impact


Investing in Connection and Community Across Louisiana

Investing in our Communities 

In Louisiana, we invested nearly $2.1 billion in our network infrastructure from 2019-2023 to connect more people to greater possibility. 

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

  • More than $130 million in Acadiana Region (Lafayette) 
  • More than $575 million in Greater New Orleans-Metairie Area 
  • More than $150 million in Shreveport-Bossier City

We understand how a connection can make the difference. That’s why our mission is to bring connectivity to everyone, no matter where they live or where they come from. We’re working to not only boost network reliability and capacity but also expand broadband nationwide to help bridge the digital divide. 

“AT&T’s investment is more than a financial commitment, it’s a commitment to the future of Louisiana, providing our residents with the necessary tools to compete and thrive in today’s digital world,” said Governor Jeff Landry. “Ensuring every Louisianan has access to high-speed broadband is a priority of my administration, and with investments like this and cooperation between public and private sectors, we will connect Louisiana families to the promise of a brighter future.”  

“This substantial investment in Louisiana’s digital infrastructure is a critical step toward closing the digital divide in our state,” said Senate President Cameron Henry. “It will not only enhance connectivity but stimulates significant economic and educational advancements for our citizens.”  

Committed to expanding connectivity, our investment focuses on all facets of the network —including fiber, 5G and FirstNet®, Built with AT&T 

  • Expanding Access to Fiber: To help meet the demands for reliable, high-speed connections today – and in the future – we’re investing in our fiber network. With more than 3 million miles of fiber in Louisiana, AT&T Fiber® is now available to more than 640,000 customer locations in nearly 70 communities across the state. 
    • With nearly 87 million fiber strand miles in 21 states, AT&T Fiber® now passes 26M+ locations in more than 100 metros. 
    • AT&T Fiber provides speed, reliability and value for consumers and businesses to enhance their internet experience for applications like video conferencing, virtual learning, telehealth, gaming and more. 
    • When public entities team up with trusted providers, more Americans are connected to greater opportunity. In Louisiana, we’ve collaborated with localities and the State of Louisiana to bring AT&T Fiber to more corners of the state, including parts of:
      • Bastrop 
      • Dixie Inn 
      • Port Allen 
      • St. Joseph 
  • 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 Louisiana. Our 5G network today reaches more than 295 million people in more than 24,500 cities and towns across the U.S. with our mid-band spectrum available nationwide, covering more than 210 million people.  
    • 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, including Ceasars Superdome and the Smoothie King Center.  
    • For less densely populated areas we’re expanding our 5G network so people there can have access to reliable connectivity. 
  • Giving First Responders the Reliable Connectivity they Need: As America’s public safety communication partner, we are expanding and enhancing FirstNet to give the public safety community better access to their network. Setting the stage for first responder innovation over the next 10 years, the FirstNet Authority announced a series of strategic investments totaling more than $8 billion into FirstNet. The latest network investment of $6.3 billion will enable AT&T to deliver a standalone FirstNet 5G core, provide always-on priority and preemption across all AT&T 5G commercial spectrum bands and build 1,000 new FirstNet sites across the country over the next two years.  
    • In Louisiana, we’re connecting public safety agencies and organizations in nearly 240 cities across the state. 
    • We’ve rolled out Band 14 on nearly 1,400 sites across Louisiana to provide public safety with truly dedicated coverage and capacity when they need it. 

And, we’re not just investing in our network, we’re also investing in our communities. AT&T recently announced 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 New Orleans, AT&T recently teamed up with Human-I-T to provide 200 free laptops for families and students served by the Zulu Foundation. Read more.

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

  • March 22 | AT&T Completes GUMBO projects in Dixie Inn and Minden. Learn more. 
  • February 20 | AT&T’s GUMBO project brings high-speed internet to underserved in West Baton Rouge. Learn more. 

To keep up with all the latest updates from AT&T Louisiana, follow us on Twitter @ATTPublicPolicy and @ATTPolicyLA, and on LinkedIn. 

 

*FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks and service marks of the First Responder Network Authority. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. 

*About AT&T  

We help more than 100 million U.S. families, friends and neighbors, plus nearly 2.5 million businesses, connect to greater possibility. From the first phone call 140+ years ago to our 5G wireless and multi-gig internet offerings today, we @ATT innovate to improve lives. For more information about AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T), please visit us at about.att.com. Investors can learn more at investors.att.com.  

p.after-p sub span { line-height: 20px !important; }