AT&T pushes for "100 percent broadband" by 2014

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

The new AT&T, formerly SBC, will say or do anything to make sure they get their way --- less regulation, raising rates, or lying about broadband deployments....

I can say 'lying', because AT&T already promised 100% broadband in their 22 states by 2007 -- it was part of their merger conditions to purchase BellSouth... The fact that no regulator bothers to actually investigate whether the companies have fullfilled their obligations, either in annual and quarterly reports or merger conditions allows the companies to continually make stuff up, then not deliver.

Here's the actual page from the AT&T-BellSouth merger- ---- 100% deployment.

Promoting Accessibility of Broadband Service
1. By December 31, 2007, AT&T/BellSouth will offer broadband Internet access service (i.e., Internet access service at speeds in excess of 200 kbps in at least one direction) to 100 percent of the residential living units in the AT&T/BellSouth in-region territory.2 To meet this commitment, AT&T/BellSouth will offer broadband Internet access services to at least 85 percent of such living units using wireline technologies (the "Wireline Buildout Area"). AT&T/BellSouth will make available broadband Internet access service to the remaining living units using alternative technologies and operating arrangements, including but not limited to satellite and Wi-Max fixed wireless technologies. AT&T/BellSouth further commits that at least 30 percent of the incremental deployment after the Merger Closing Date necessary to achieve the Wireline Buildout Area commitment will be to rural areas or low income living units.3
2. AT&T/BellSouth will provide an ADSL modem without charge (except for shipping and handling) to residential subscribers within the Wireline Buildout Area who, between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008, replace their AT&T/BellSouth dial-up Internet access service with

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Not dramatic enough?

When SBC announced U-Verse, so it could merge with AT&T, it claimed it would have 18 million homes by 2007 --- oops.

SBC 2004 Annual Report
“Project Lightspeed In June 2004, we announced
key advances in developing a network capable of
delivering a new generation of integrated IP video, super-high-speed broadband and VoIP services to our residential and small-business customers, referred to as Project Lightspeed…
“We anticipate that we will deploy approximately 38,800 miles of fiber, reaching approximately 18 million households by year-end 2007, and expect to spend approximately $4 billion over the next three years in deployment costs and $1 billion in customer-activation capital expenditures spread over 2006 and 2007.”

But it gets worse -- Read $300 Billion Broadband Scandal -- now a free ebook download, and file your own comments:
go to newnetworks.

By 2010, virtually every US household should have been rewired, based directly on annual report statements, court and PSC filings, FCC filings --- AT&t, Verizon and Qwest already got paid about $300 billion and counting for these upgraded networks.

Now AT&T claims 2014 is the year --- We'll place bets that is simply a smoke screen...

And one other fact -- SBC, when it merged with Ameritech claimed it would compete in 30 cities outside their region and promised to spend $6 billion on 'project pronto' ---

“Broadband Initiative in October 1999: As the first post-Ameritech merger initiative, SBC announced plans to offer broadband services to approximately 80 percent of SBC's United States wireline customers over the next three years (Project Pronto). SBC will invest an estimated $6 billion in fiber, electronics and other technology for this broadband initiative. The build-out will include moving many customers from the existing copper network to a new fiber network.”

AT&T does not want the FCC to define Broadband because they already consider their 3G Network Broadband (which qualifies them to 2014 today) and if the FCC choose to set the level to qualify for Broadband too high neither AT&T or VZW would be able to market their services. Oh! My

Jacomo

Their heart is right where their pocketbook is. They are boasting 100% and because the sooner they do this the easier to stifle. These companies could care less about what the rural areas have as long as it makes them more cash and harder to compete with. Look at the history of the RBOC'S defiant and treacherous towards any competition. Than review the many complaints before both the FCC and state PSC/PUC'S and see just how fair they really are. Read Rachelle Chongs address to the tel-com conference interesting as well as factual reading. She is a greta choice for California PUC. Clyburn will be more than a breathe of fresh air as she was very fair while at the South Carolina PUC.