AT&T to launch gigabit LTE, more fixed wireless in 2017

News Broadband United States 4 JAN 2017
AT&T to launch gigabit LTE, more fixed wireless in 2017
AT&T has outlined at CES plans for further upgrades to its mobile and fixed networks to meet growing bandwidth demand. The next LTE-Advanced upgrades will bring speak theoretical speeds of 1 Gbps to some cell sites in 2017, while the US operator also continues to densify 4G coverage. It's rolling out tri-carrier aggregation already in some areas and will deploy four-carrier aggregation and LTE-License Assisted Access (LAA) this year as well. 

AT&T is also looking more at using wireless networks to deliver fixed services, with a planned 5G trial in its home market Austin in the first half of 2017 to deliver its DirecTV Now streaming service. The trial will include multiple sites and devices, looking at how fixed wireless mmWave technology handles heavy video traffic. These are expected to help prepare the company for 5G, along with the earlier announced trials with Ericsson to test pre-standard 5G technologies, including for business customers.

In addition, the mmWave fixed wireless trial started in Minneapolis last year to serve multi-dwelling units will be expanded, with additional markets under consideration for trials. The G.fast trial at MDUs in Minneapolis will also be expanded to more locations across AT&T's 21-state wireline footprint in 2017. 

The fixed wireless internet services AT&T started testing last year in several states will be used primarily to serve rural areas where AT&T receives FFC CAF support. The operator plans to reach more than 400,000 locations by the end of 2017 with the rural wireless service across 18 states and 1.1 million by the end of 2020. Finally, the AirGig technology developed by the company for utility grids will start field trials in 2017. 


 

Categories:

Internet,  Mobile

Companies:

DirecTV

Countries:

United States

Tags:

Production planning & operations, Data services, xDSL, Fibre, Wireline, Wireless, Internet Access, 4G - LTE, Fixed Wireless Access

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