AT&T (NYSE: T) is taking its GigaPower service into an additional five markets as it faces continual pressure from Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) and Google Fiber (NASDAQ: GOOG) for 1 Gbps services.
The service provider has equipped more homes, apartments and small businesses in parts of Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Miami/Fort Lauderdale, and San Antonio.
In all the service provider has expanded service into another 12 areas of its footprint within each of these metro areas.
Following the initial launch in the Dallas-Fort Worth market in August 2014, AT&T launched FTTH services in Houston, Chicago, Miami and San Antonio metros throughout 2015.
Deepening its presence in key markets means that AT&T can stay on top of increasing competitive threats from Comcast and Google Fiber.
In February, Comcast announced that it would introduce its DOCSIS 3.1-based gigabit Internet service to residential and business customers in Atlanta and Nashville in early 2016, with Chicago, Detroit, and Miami to follow in the second half of the year.
The cable MSO plans to target residential and business customers with the service, which runs over its existing hybrid fiber-coax (HFC) plant.
Earlier this week, Comcast began a deep customer trial in Atlanta, initially focused on residential customers. Interestingly, Comcast will offer its 1 Gbps data service for $70 a month only if they agree to sign a three-year contract or $139.95 a month without a contract.
Regardless of the emerging competitive challenges it faces, AT&T isn't backing off on its FTTH expansion initiatives. The service provider agreed to bring FTTH to an additional 11.7 million locations as part of gaining approval for its DirecTV deal. Later, AT&T said it would bring 1 Gbps service to an additional 36 markets. Upon completion of its latest build out plan, the service provider is going to double the amount of metro areas it serves with FTTH services from 20 to 56.
For more:
- see the release
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