Investing in our Communities

In New York, we invested nearly $2.7 billion in our network infrastructure from 2019-2023 to connect more people to greater possibility. 

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

• More than $90 million in Albany/Schenectady/Troy 
• Nearly $110 million in Buffalo/Cheektowaga 

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. 

Committed to expanding connectivity, our investment focuses on all facets of the network —including fiber, 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 New York. 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:
    • Yankee Stadium in The Bronx 
    • Barclays Center in Brooklyn 
    • Highmark Stadium in Buffalo 
    • USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens 
    • National Tennis Center in Lake Placid 
    • Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid
  • For other areas like Rochester and Queens, 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 New York, we’re connecting public safety agencies, first responders, and organizations in more than 520 cities across the state, including Albany, New York City, Buffalo, Oyster Bay, Ossining, Plattsburgh, Troy and more.  
  • We’ve rolled out Band 14 on more than 2,800 sites across New York 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. 

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

Laptops to those in need: AT&T supported multiple laptop giveaways across the State of New York in 2023, resulting in thousands of devices getting into the hands of those who need them. Two organizations in Brooklyn, two in Buffalo, two in Syracuse, in Yonkers, Long Island and more. Almost 1,000 devices were given away in New York state by AT&T in the second half of the year alone. Read more. 

Digital Learning Lab: AT&T also teamed up with the New York Urban League and Silicon Harlem to open a new state-of-the-art Digital Learning Lab in Harlem. The collaboration brought computers, tech programs and connected devices like drones to a dedicated learning space at Silicon Harlem’s headquarters. Read more. 

Digital Literacy & Equity: Good Shepherd Services and AT&T partnered to launch The AT&T Summer Soaring Project – a free digital literacy and tech educational program to help bridge the digital divide in Brooklyn and address the diversity gap in technology industries. And in Queens, an AT&T donation enabled students at DREAMchasers to create a website/mobile app to help other students obtain a better education. Read more. 

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