AT&T continues fiber investment, expands 1 Gbps internet service

Internet access is quickly emerging as the core utility of this generation, enabling everything from startup innovation to providing access to job opportunities to underserved populations. Recognizing this trend, service providers both old and new are spending big to expand fiber networks and high-speed internet options.
AT&T’s play in this space is its 1 gigabit per second fiber-to-the-home service called GigaPower. Today the carrier announced it would expand its fiber footprint and attendant services to new markets in the San Diego, California, and El Paso, Texas, areas.
In the San Diego area, the initial service activation covers single-family homes, 15 apartment complexes as well as a master-planned community called Civita in Mission Valley and area businesses. The plan, according to AT&T, is to expand GigaPower into parts of Chula Vista and other nearby communities throughout 2016.
San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer pointed to quality internet services as a key to economic development. “San Diego is a city of boundless opportunities and we are proud to add to our city’s culture of innovation through AT&T’s GigaPower network. AT&T is a fantastic community leader that continues to play an important role in the economic growth and quality of life of our city. I’m looking forward to seeing more benefits and growth from AT&T as they continue to add this new network for our city’s residents, families and businesses.”
In El Paso, the high-speed service is available to consumers as AT&T GigaPower and business customers as AT&T Business Fiber. To help contextualize what’s possible with 1 Gbps, AT&T noted the throughput allows a user to download 25 songs in one second, or a TV show in three seconds
As in San Diego, the initial deployment provides connectivity to a number homes and apartment complexes.
Comcast also is in the process of aggressively expanding its 1 Gbps internet service, but the Philadelphia-based outfit is taking a different approach. Instead of laying costly fiber infrastructure, Comcast is upgrading its existing copper plant – in limited markets – to be compatible with DOCSIS 3.1. The new standard provides fiber-like speeds over copper.