AT&T reported that it is focused on growing its organic in-footprint fiber network, and the company is exploring models that complement this focus, like its joint venture with BlackRock: Gigapower, as well as four new third-party relationships with commercial open-access providers.
The company reports that its fiber is performing well in Gigapower geographies, where fiber penetration rates are ahead of the initial business plan, there is increased customer convergence, and there is greater adoption of 1 gigabit-plus fiber speed tiers.
Together with Blackrock, AT&T plans to grow Gigapower and expand its fiber footprint beyond the initial 1.5 million locations announced in December 2022.
The four new agreements with commercial open-access providers will allow AT&T to extend its fiber into geographies not served by the AT&T or Gigapower networks. These providers—Boldyn Networks, Digital Infrastructure Group, PRIME FiBER, and Ubiquity—have agreed to provide AT&T with wholesale access to their fiber broadband networks.
AT&T CEO John Stankey said the company is seeing improving returns as the network expands.
“In new service areas, Gigapower is ramping well, and we’re targeting additional geographies for growth with the joint venture and other commercial open-access agreements,” said Stankey in a press release. “Customers tell us they want a high-performance wireless and broadband experience from a single provider, and AT&T is best positioned to serve this growing need.”
