In a news release, AT&T says that demand for connectivity remains strong and they will invest $17 billion to $18 billion in 2009 in its wireless and wired
broadband networks.
Approximately two-thirds of AT&T's 2009 investment will extend
and enhance the company's wireless and wired broadband networks. To support increased
customer demand in mobility, broadband and video, the company plans to
add nearly 3,000 jobs in 2009.
On the downside they expect to reduce jobs in other areas - primarily wireline -
due to economic pressures, a more streamlined organizational structure
and continued shift among residential customers from wired voice
services to wireless and broadband.
As providers and developers increasingly focus on tapping the
potential of the mobile Internet, AT&T's broadband investment
priorities include multiple projects designed to enhance its #g network.
With 3G services now available in nearly 350 U.S. metropolitan areas,
the company will focus in 2009 on enhancing coverage and reliability
across this footprint, including the planned addition of more than
2,100 new cell sites across the country. Additionally, AT&T will
expand 3G service to 20 new markets this year.
"Demand for broadband continues to grow as new applications emerge
and customers embrace them, leading to data traffic on our network
growing more than 50 percent year over year on average," said Randall
Stephenson, AT&T chairman and chief executive officer. "We expect
demand will only escalate when the larger economy rebounds, and
AT&T's continued strong network investment will help ensure that
we're fully ready to support the next wave of economic growth. We
recognize the continuing importance of investing in critical network
infrastructure, which plays a key role in driving commerce, innovation
and job growth."
Highlights of other planned initiatives include:
- Expanding 3G service while nearly doubling the total network
capacity in most markets via additional spectrum at 850 MHz, a
frequency that can offer improvements to in-building coverage. - Leveraging the capabilities of AT&T's GSM/HSPA network to
further increase the nation's fastest 3G speeds, starting with trials
of 7.2 Mbps peak downlink speeds and evolving to speeds as high as 20
Mbps. - Customer trials leading toward general availability of AT&T 3G
MicroCell offerings, which utilize femtocells and home broadband
connections to enhance in-building wireless coverage. - Continuing expansion of AT&T's leading Wi-Fi footprint and
infrastructure, building from the 20,000 hotspot footprint created in
2008 with the acquisition of Wayport.
These critical infrastructure investments will be matched by the
creation of nearly 3,000 new jobs in growth areas of our business over
the course of the year. These new jobs will bolster AT&T
organizations responsible for building, maintaining and enhancing the
company's wireless and wired networks, developing and delivering new
applications that take advantage of IP connectivity and maintaining customer service capabilities crossing the AT&T portfolio of services and applications.
The company also maintains a continuing strong commitment to
innovation. AT&T Labs plays a leading industry role in the
advancement of the next generation of broadband technologies and
capabilities, including research in critical areas such as development
of 4G Long-Term Evolution technology; advancement of 100 Gigabit
backbone network technology; and development of a range of emerging IP
applications.