AT&T Says They're Testing 80 Mbps Broadband > Sounds like vaporware

Sounds like vaporware

They have deployed some FTTP in some new housing developments. They will probably exacerbate the digital divide by providing 80 mbps service to those few FTTP customers while leaving most of their DSL footprint in the dark...
--

- "Techie" Jim

Oddly, all those FTTP customers are capped at FTTN speeds to provide a "consistent user experience."

very true. There is one just over the Ohio Michigan border (on the MI side) they're capped at what the DSL service offers. ATT took the entire city and rebuilt it FTTP as a test show when it was still SBC. There are a few other cities they rebuilt in WI and maybe one more in Michigan. but they won't say where unless you sign up for service or know people that live there.
--
www.twopugsbrand.com Kosher, Vegan, and Organic Certified Dog and Cat treats/foods and other products!

One would think AT&T would like to at least use those sites as the test beds they are. Seems like a wasted opportunity by limiting the speeds.

but like Karl said they do that only to make things "uniform" across their foot print.

There's something to be said for uniformity, but I still believe it is a wasted opportunity.

reply to Karl Bode
If that test is anything like their 3G network, I bet for 80mbs it's provisioned for like 1gbps.

Zing!

reply to N3OGH
I believe that this is not vaporware. It's not like AT&T to publicly declare they are doing something that's not real. Now it may be very late, it may not have all the features and speeds, but it will be visible.

I'll also point out that this is exactly what I've been predicting will happen, in many forum posts here. AT&T has significant headroom to increase their speeds over copper, on a per-user basis, for those with closer and/or better and/or multi-pair connections to the VRAD.

We have already seen the first big step with the introduction of 18mb and then 24mb download service, plus the move to a conservative implementation of VDSL2 (with no hardware upgrades).

Now it seems that they will offer new levels to customers and open up their provisioning (which has been fairly rigid) to take advantage of local conditions, much like they did with DSL in the past. In fact I expect this to be done concurrently with a move to essentially replace DSL with U-verse, both from a technology and from an offering/provisioning/billing point of view.

They also have a lot of headroom (obviously) in their FTTP footprint which is quietly growing on a daily basis, although I still think many here are ignorant of its presence. Longer term, they can start overbuilding FTTP on top of FTTN, in selected areas, at their own pace.

The old horse ain't quite dead yet.

Again, it's entirely possible. The question is: how many AT&T customers is it possible for?

Also...I know AT&T believes they can milk copper for another four years and gradually move to fiber, but every indication from quarterly earnings is that Comcast is eating their lunch right now.

It's a fine balance between future proofing and suckling the teat of myopic investors.

Suppose it's possible for 1/2? and due to the low cost, if the take rate/return is reasonable they (if allowed) double the number of "lawn monoliths" in areas that need shorter runs/more coverage.
they could end covering a large percentage of their footprint but still be well below the crippling debt/ massive obligations thats forcing verizon to withdraw from much of their territory.
Perhaps slow and steady will prove to be a better stratagy after all.

reply to morbo
oh i agree with you 100%. Why did SBC send the money out to start off with when not even barely using it. Besides; being able to MAKE everyone of your customers move from 3rd party DSL providers and Voice Providers to your network due to not being required to share the new network with any CLEC or ISP. And then make T1s 3x+ what they used to be since now you "have" to build out that new copper line that is no longer there. Since they won't deploy that over their Fiber.
--
www.twopugsbrand.com Kosher, Vegan, and Organic Certified Dog and Cat treats/foods and other products!