Mobile and Fiber Broadband Expansion Will Help Give AT&T Customers and FirstNet Subscribers Better Access to Internet
What’s the news? AT&T* customers and FirstNet® subscribers in Alabama got a big boost in wireless connectivity and fiber access over the past 12 months. In 2021, AT&T completed more than 550 wireless, fiber and other network improvement projects in Alabama, including adding more than 130 new macro and small cell sites.
In 2021, we also made AT&T Fiber available to more than 40,000 new locations in Alabama, and today more than 475,000 customer locations across the state have access to AT&T Fiber.
The network improvements and infrastructure investments will enhance the state’s broadband coverage and help give residents, businesses and first responders faster, more reliable service.
The new wireless sites will improve coverage and capacity in 27 counties: Baldwin, Barbour, Bibb, Calhoun, Clarke, Crenshaw, Dale, Elmore, Escambia, Etowah, Fayette, Hale, Houston, Jefferson, Lauderdale, Lee, Madison, Marengo, Marion, Mobile, Monroe, Shelby, St. Clair, Talladega, Tuscaloosa, Walker, and Winston.
In addition, over 90 small cell sites were launched, densifying the network for customers in seven counties: Baldwin, Calhoun, Jefferson, Madison, Mobile, Shelby, and Tuscaloosa.
“These investments are critical for businesses and residents in communities across the state. Today connectivity is critical in our everyday lives, particularly in areas such as health care, education and business. I applaud AT&T’s work to expand access to these increased speeds in the home and enhance their wireless network,” said Governor Kay Ivey.
Beyond the new locations, more than 540 sites were upgraded to provide additional capacity, faster speeds, or greater capability. Our investment will help customers and first responders get the most out of their mobile devices.
“We have been investing in Alabama for more than 140 years, bringing critical connectivity to communities across the state,” said Wayne Hutchens, President – AT&T Alabama. “More than 3,200 AT&T employees call Alabama home, and as public policy leaders have created an environment that encourages investment in new and emerging technology, we remain committed to investing in this state and helping close the digital divide.”
Why is this important? We know how important it is for our customers to stay connected. That’s why we’re also boosting network reliability and capacity as we expand our network. This helps Alabama residents get the best possible experience over the AT&T network wherever they live, work and play. And it’s giving first responders on FirstNet – America’s public safety network – access to always-on, 24-hours-a-day priority and preemption across voice and data.
Committed to our Networks: From 2018 to 2020, we expanded coverage and improved connectivity in more communities by investing nearly $1.5 billion in our wireless and wireline networks in Alabama. These investments boost reliability, coverage, speed and overall performance for residents and their businesses.
Expanding Access to Hyper-Fast Fiber: To meet the demands for reliable, high-speed connections in our increasingly virtual world, we are investing in solutions like fiber around the country. AT&T Fiber® offers speeds of up to 5 GIGs for both upload and download, which provides plenty of bandwidth for consumers and businesses and creates a better internet experience for bandwidth-heavy applications like video conferencing, virtual learning, telehealth and gaming. For more information or to check availability for all speed tiers of AT&T Fiber, visit att.com/fiberfast. Customers can also sign up to be alerted when AT&T Fiber is available to their address through our Notify Me service by visiting att.com/notifyme.
Last year we built fiber to 2.6 million new customer locations nationwide – the equivalent of nearly 300 connections per hour of every day, and we plan to continue to invest even more in the coming years. We’re proud to be part of one of the largest communications infrastructure projects in our country’s history.
Unlocking the Power of 5G: AT&T is America’s Most Reliable 5G Network1. AT&T currently offers 3 flavors of 5G**, which helps enable the network to reach its full potential. Here’s how they work:
- AT&T 5G using low-band spectrum reaches more than 255 million people in more than 16,000 cities and towns in the U.S.
- AT&T 5G+, using recently introduced C-Band spectrum in limited parts of 8 metros, provides a great combination of ultra-fast speeds and wide geographic coverage.
- AT&T 5G+ using millimeter wave spectrum delivers super-fast speeds and unprecedented performances in high traffic areas including parts of more than 40 cities and nearly 30 stadiums and venues.
What is FirstNet? FirstNet is the only nationwide, high-speed broadband communications platform dedicated to and purpose-built for America’s first responders and the extended public safety community. It is built with AT&T in public-private partnership with the federal government. The FirstNet network is providing public safety with truly dedicated coverage and capacity when they need it, unique benefits like always-on priority and preemption, and high-quality Band 14 spectrum. These advanced capabilities help fire, EMS, EMA, law enforcement and 9-11 personnel save lives and protect communities.
Currently, nearly 1,200 sites in Alabama are now equipped with Band 14 as part of AT&T’s deployment of FirstNet.
Where can I find more information? For more about the value FirstNet is bringing to public safety, check out FirstNet.com.
1GWS: based on nationwide GWS drive test data. GWS conducts paid drive tests for AT&T and uses the data in its analysis.
**To experience AT&T 5G+, you’ll need to be in a 5G+ coverage area, have a 5G+ capable device, and be on one of our plans that include 5G and 5G+ access at no extra charge. See att.com/unlimited for more details.
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 Communications
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