AT&T expanding its fiber internet serviceMarch 25, 2017 - 13:23 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - AT&T announced on Thursday, March 23 that it’s expanding its gigabit fiber internet service in existing markets and bringing new cities onboard. The expansion, which is centered on the 17 existing metro areas AT&T currently operates its fiber service in, means the company will be serving up speeds as fast as 1,000 Mbps (but likely lower than that in realistic usage scenarios) to more than 4 million homes, The Verge says. To be fair, AT&T still hasn’t brought fiber to some of the largest metropolitan areas in the US, including the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City. It does, however, offer gigabit speeds to customers in the Los Angeles, San Diego, and Chicago areas, as well as scores of smaller mid-sized cities in the south and mid-west. Plans start at $80 a month for internet only and jump to $119 after the first year. So it’s certainly not cheap, but AT&T’s ambitions do bode well for the eventual expansion of fiber across the country. As AT&T moves forward with its plans, we can be sure that Comcast, Verizon, and other telecoms will follow. That may be disheartening news to customers who want an alternative option for faster internet. But the largest proponent of gigabit speeds outside the telecom circle, Google Fiber, has been struggling of late. As part of Google’s restructuring as Alphabet and the ripple effects of that 2015 decision, Google Fiber has found itself under Alphabet’s Access unit, where it’s been pressured to cut costs and find an easier route to profitability. It turns out laying fiber is time-consuming and expensive, putting the Alphabet unit at a disadvantage when competing with companies like AT&T that have invested billions in infrastructure over the years. These developments have led Google Fiber to pause its expansion plans and even consider ditching fiber optic cabling as a delivery mechanism, with the company looking instead toward wireless options after purchasing San Francisco-based internet provider Webpass. So right now, if you’re hungry for gigabit speeds, AT&T might be your best option in the near future. The company plans to expand to 67 cities and 12.5 million homes by the middle of 2019. Top stories Yerevan will host the 2024 edition of the World Congress On Information Technology (WCIT). Rustam Badasyan said due to the lack of such regulation, the state budget is deprived of VAT revenues. Krisp’s smart noise suppression tech silences ambient sounds and isolates your voice for calls. Gurgen Khachatryan claimed that the "illegalities have been taking place in 2020." Partner news Most popular in the section | European Parliament to discuss repression in Azerbaijan The European Parliament will discuss repression of civil society in Azerbaijan on April 24 PACE wants concessions from Azerbaijan to accept Baku back A PACE co-rapporteur said that Azerbaijani authorities must make certain concessions so that the country can return to PACE. Cyprus parliament honors Armenian genocide victims Acting House President Zacharias Koulias noted that April 24 marks the “black anniversary” of the Armenian genocide. Armenia PM, France envoy discuss regional matters Issues related to the consistent development of Armenia-France cooperation were discussed. |