ATT&T invests 7.2-billion USD in boosting local network in California

Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-01 06:44:06|Editor: yan
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SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The world's largest telecom firm AT&T Inc. (AT&T) said Friday that it has invested more than 7.2 billion U.S. dollars in boosting local networks in California over the past three years.

The funds, which were spent on expanding wireless and wired networks in California between 2015 and 2017, aimed to enhance its network's reliability, coverage, speed and overall performance for residents and businesses in the state, AT&T said.

The top U.S. mobile carrier said it will continue to invest heavily in 5G wireless and fiber network to provide premium entertainment and guaranteed communication benefits for California customers.

"California is a global leader in entertainment, media and technology. To remain a global leader, our state must continue to encourage investment in our next generation communications networks," said Ken McNeely, president of AT&T California based in San Francisco on the U.S. west coast.

The company said it will increase investments in California's FirstNet, the first nationwide broadband communications platform dedicated to America's public safety, to deliver full network coverage and cutting-edge capabilities for the country's first responders not only today but also in the next decades.

AT&T said on Wednesday that it has nearly doubled the number of agencies signed on as FirstNet customers since its last update in July, as the number of FirstNet connections reached more than 150,000.

FirstNet Band 14 spectrum has been turned up at more than 2,500 sites across the country and at least 10,000 more sites are being "underway," said the U.S. carrier.

"Since the formation of the FirstNet public-private partnership a little over a year ago, governors from all 50 states, 5 territories and D.C. recognized the value of FirstNet, joining in its mission to strengthen and modernize public safety's communications capabilities," AT&T said in a statement Friday.

As the largest U.S.-based provider of fiber for business services, it is running the most substantial fiber network in 21 states across America.

The company is marketing its 1 gigabit connection service on a 100 percent fiber network to 9 million locations across 71 major metro areas nationwide, with an ambitious goal of raising the figure to at least 14 million locations across at least 84 metro areas by mid-2019.

AT&T is also one of the world's largest providers of pay TV to customers in the U.S. and 11 Latin American countries.

It has been the parent company of mass media conglomerate WarnerMedia since June 14, 2018, making it the largest media and entertainment firm in terms of revenue in the world.

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