AT&T makes 1 Gbps debut in Indiana markets, challenges Comcast

AT&T (NYSE: T) is taking its 1 Gbps FTTH show to Indiana, announcing that it is debuting service in three of the state's cities -- Crown Point, Gary and Hammond -- where it will face off with Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA).

This is the first time AT&T has brought 1 Gbps GigaPower service to Indiana, one of its 22 wireline states.

Bill Soards, president of AT&T Indiana, said in a release that it will "educate potential customers in Northwest Indiana about the capabilities of AT&T's high-speed Internet and best-in-class television services." 

Customers that prove to eligible for the in these markets will be able to access three new and bundle packages that offer a mix of 1 Gbps or 300 Mbps with television and telephone services.

U-verse High Speed Internet Premier offers Internet speeds up to 1 Gbps starting at $110 a month, or speeds at 300 Mbps at $80 a month, while the U-verse High Speed Internet Premier + TV delivers Internet speeds up to 1 Gbps and qualifying TV service starting at $150 a month, or speeds at 300 Mbps and qualifying TV service at $120 a month.

Finally, U-verse High Speed Internet Premier + TV + Voice offers consumers Internet speeds up to 1 Gbps with qualifying TV service and Unlimited U-verse Voice starting at $180 a month, or speeds at 300 Mbps with qualifying TV service and Unlimited U-verse Voice at $150 a month.

U-Verse High Speed Internet Premier and U-verse High Speed Internet Premier + TV offer a one-year price guarantee, while the U-verse High Speed Internet Premier + TV + Voice offers a two year price guarantee.

The service provider did not disclose exactly when it would begin rolling out the service or what specific areas in these three cities would be the first to get the service.

When AT&T eventually begins rolling out the 1 Gbps service in Indiana, it will face Comcast and its 2 Gbps service. A Comcast spokesperon told FierceTelecom in an e-mail that its 2 Gbps service is availalable in all municipalities it serves in Northwest Indiana.

After initially launched U-verse with GigaPower service in Austin, it is now available in 17 metro markets, including recent debuts in two new Texas markets and Central Florida.

The service provider plans to meet its ambitious goal to bring its 1 Gbps FTTH service to an additional 11.7 million locations by extending fiber from its existing fiber-to-the-node (FTTN) network that it built out to deliver IP broadband service already to 57 million U.S. locations.

For more:
- see the release

Related articles:
AT&T launches 1 Gbps FTTH service in Texas, Central Florida
AT&T's Stephens: We'll meet our FTTH goals by extending fiber from existing builds
AT&T incites broadband challenge against Comcast with Miami-area 1 Gbps launch
AT&T's Stephens: Local permitting efficiencies could drive more FTTH deployments

This article was updated on September 29 with additional information from Comcast.