Comcast to challenge AT&T, Cox Business with 10 Gig service in Atlanta

Comcast Business (NASDAQ: CMCSA) is taking on AT&T (NYSE: T) and Cox Business in Atlanta's metro fiber service market with plans to offer 10 Gbps services to area businesses.

Over its fiber network, the service provider will deliver 10 Gbps connectivity to businesses in midtown Atlanta, Vinings, Norcross, Duluth and Alpharetta. The fiber network will also be brought into a number of multi-tenant office buildings, including the Atlanta Galleria Office Park.

Expanding its fiber presence in Atlanta is just one of several markets where Comcast Business has been expanding its fiber-based network presence.

Earlier this week, Comcast Business announced that it deepened its fiber and Ethernet presence in Vermont, extending its fiber-based Ethernet services throughout five communities in Bennington County. Besides Vermont, the service provider has taken its fiber to 10 New York communities and various underserved commercial areas in Kent, Wash., and 400 Mbps to a boutique hotel in Marin County, Calif.

Comcast Business will be facing off with an equally aggressive Cox Business and local telco incumbent AT&T.

AT&T hatched a plan to bring 1 Gbps service to 21 major metro areas, including Atlanta. However, AT&T has put those plans on hold until it can get further clarity on the FCC's proposed net neutrality rules.

In addition, AT&T is on pace to reach 1 million business customer locations via its fiber-to-the-building (FTTB) program that's part of its Project VIP initiative. Through the FTTB program, AT&T is providing two flavors of broadband: asymmetric and now a symmetrical service of 25 to 300 Mbps. Beginning next year, the service provider service will offer 1 Gbps speeds.

Comcast Business' ongoing drive to bring fiber-based Ethernet services into more markets will help the service provider not only drive up its Ethernet market share, but also overall business revenues. During the third quarter, business revenues rose 21.0 percent to $1.0 billion, reflecting the growth of Ethernet and IP-based services to small to medium business (SMB) customers.

For more:
- Atlanta Business Chronicle has this article

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