With its increased focus on fiber-fed speeds, AT&T is no longer selling DSL to new customers. According to a post on DSL Reports, AT&T notified customers on billing statements in August that effective Oct. 1 it would no longer accept new orders for its copper-based DSL service.
"We are focused on enhancing our network with more advanced, higher speed technologies like fiber and wireless, which consumers are demanding," AT&T said in a statement. "We’re beginning to phase out outdated services like DSL and new orders for the service will no longer be supported after October 1. Current DSL customers will be able to continue their existing service or where possible upgrade to our 100% fiber network.
While AT&T said affected customers could upgrade to its AT&T Fiber service, it may not be available in some of those areas just yet. In a Monday morning email to FierceTelecom, an AT&T spokesperson said the telco was working on several fronts to help close the broadband divide, which it said should include both wireless and wireline options for subsidy programs.
RELATED: AT&T CEO: More fiber is the company's top-priority
AT&T CEO John Stankey has previously vowed that the telco will add more fiber to help provision its 5G services and more fiber-to-the-home broadband deployments. During an investor conference last month, Stankey said adding more fiber topped his priority list. Stankey said AT&T's second key priority was making sure that it has broadband connectivity on 5G, which meant even more fiber.
RELATED: AT&T Fiber debuts new pricing across three tiers, offers unlimited data for fiber customers
The same day that AT&T sunset new subscribers for DSL, it announced three new price points for its AT&T Fiber tiers. AT&T also announced that all new and existing AT&T Fiber Internet 100, Internet 300 and Internet 1000 subscribers would enjoy unlimited data without additional charges. AT&T Fiber started offering the new deals as a standalone product with no annual contracts for new customers on Sunday.
Data caps are still in place for AT&T's fixed wireless internet and DSL customers. For AT&T Fiber customers that signed up for the $30 unlimited data allowance, those monthly charges will automatically disappear from their bills.
During July's second quarter earnings report, AT&T lost 102,000 broadband subscribers, but gained more than 220,000 fiber subscribers. As of Q2, AT&T had 4.3 million AT&T Fiber customers with nearly two million of them on 1-gigabit speeds.