The largest fiber provider in the United States of America, AT&T, is expanding its network in the US. Currently, it serves more than 8.8 million customers across more than 28 million total consumer and business locations. The growth in the fiber sector allows the company to serve its customers the way they want, either 5G or fiber connectivity by a single provider. Out of every ten households having the company’s fiber, four chose the company’s wireless service too. The company’s postpaid phone subscriber share is nearly 500 basis points higher than the average subscriber share in the country where the company offers fiber services.
The company announced four new agreements with commercial open-access providers: Boldyn Networks, Digital Infrastructure Group, PRIME FiBER and Ubiquity, on Monday. This new partnership will help in providing opportunities to expand AT&T Fiber distribution to new service areas without existing fiber options. AT&T can leverage these fiber broadband networks to offer AT&T Fiber and 5G wireless services to more consumers.
- Boldyn Networks is a provider with access to a range of industries, with a prime focus on the U.S. Armed Forces. A network infrastructure at more than 75 US military bases helps the collaboration to improve communications at military bases, including delivering fiber, FirstNet, and 5G communications. It is starting its presence from Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, and joint bases in San Antonio, Texas.
- Digital Infrastructure Group, now growing in new regions across the United States, is a wholesale fiber developer and operator with significant broadband experience in global markets.
- Prime Fiber, which is expanding in Florida, is a new open-access fiber infrastructure provider serving internet service providers, infrastructure consolidators and entities across the country, supported by InLight Capital. The agreement with them is based on the successful and long relationship with Prime Communications, who is AT&T’s largest authorized retailer and gives additional perks in fiber distribution.
- Ubiquity has grown significantly in the last two years, becoming one of the US’s largest commercial open-access fiber networks. AT&T will get access across multiple states and will bring fiber to private access locations including multifamily communities and private homeowners’ associations (HOAs) on a national level. Exclusive greenfield areas for AT&T will be built, starting from Minnesota.
AT&T wins the market by providing a unique combination of network architecture skill set, a profitable growth path, and a flexible go-to-market approach to fiber builders. At the current rate, the company will cross 30 million and may gain 10-15 million extra fiber locations by the end of 2025, including approximately 25 million consumer locations and 5 million business locations.
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The response of consumers also reflects the epitome of service provided by the company. In the 2024 American Customer Satisfaction Index, AT&T was ranked as number one in customer satisfaction and its fiber has America’s fastest Internet with the most reliable speeds, as per Ookla. The company also stepped up to adopt one gigabit-plus fiber speed tiers.
Other companies in the market also seem to be following the trend. Verizon Communications announced the acquisition of Frontier Communications for $20 billion, aiming to increase fiber footprint, accelerate the delivery of premium mobility and broadband services to customers and expand Verizon’s intelligent edge network for digital innovations after the acquisition of the largest pure-play fiber internet provider in the US. Earlier, T-Mobile announced a joint venture with leading global investment firm KKR to acquire Metronet, the fastest growing pure play fiber company in the U.S., along with its broadband infrastructure, residential fiber business operations and existing customers. T-Mobile aims to use Metronet’s fiber infrastructure to grow into more locations with fiber broadband services and is estimated to invest nearly $4.9 billion to acquire a 50% equity in the joint venture and 100% of Metronet’s residential fiber retail operations and customers.
“With our organic fiber build, we’re seeing improving returns as we expand our network. In the 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. 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.” said John Stankey, Chief Executive Officer, AT&T.
The news certainly raises the expectations of the consumers. With so many players entering and expanding the field, the fiber consumers can expect better prices, services and accessibility.
