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AT&T Building Massive Fiber Network That Barely Exists (techdirt.com)
An anonymous reader writes: An article at TechDirt points out that AT&T's big fiber deployment project isn't yet adding up to much. They posted a press release last week saying how they've launched fiber internet in Los Angeles and West Palm Beach, and how they also plan to bring it to 38 other metro areas. But TechDirt notes a few parts they left out: "Nowhere does the company state when these connections will be delivered. Similarly nowhere does the company make clear that it's targeting mostly high-end housing developments where fiber is already in the ground, making costs negligible (the only way you could technically accomplish a deployment of this kind and magically have your CAPEX consistently drop). And while AT&T claims these improvements will reach 14 million residential and commercial locations, AT&T gives no timeline for this accomplishment. That means it could cherry pick a few hundred thousand University condos and housing developments per year and be wrapping up this not-so-epic fiber deployment by 2040 or so. "
Verizon laid fiber in my neighborhood about two years ago. I was impressed with the technology to mole cable between two holes fifty feet apart. The cable company suddenly doubled their speed to remain competitive. I didn't switch because in the long run, the cable company is cheaper.
It is easy to understand why the cost of running that fiber in an existing neighborhood makes the margins pretty slim. They have to promise the world to get their mergers and acquisitions. Seems they only have to deliver Pluto.
The telcos have have over $2 billion from our tax money to build these new networks. They're not doing it, or are doing it so slow, they'll take centuries to complete.
It's time they returned our money. Anyone else would be persecuted for not delivering after being paid. Perhaps it's time for CEOs and the boards to do some hard-time.
Shortly after Google announced the decision to install their fiber in Raleigh-Durham area, AT&T planted the big orange conduit, then the black fiber bundles all over our neighborhoods this past summer (mostly standalone houses, about "middle income"). I even had to roll an empty cable spool out of my yard down the street to where some of their equipment was parked for a while.
U-Verse became available shortly thereafter - had an AT&T guy come to our door to offer it. Some neighbors have gotten it, and are commenting about it on a local listserv type web site, especially the ones annoyed by sloppy installations that ruined landscaping and even sprinkler systems, plus trash left by the installers. The city of Durham has contracted with a guy to chase down complaints by residents with AT&T. We still see some of the individual cables from junction boxes to houses lying alongside some streets, and a few even crossing the street. Not surprisingly, some of the listserv discussion included accounts by some of those cross-street cables being damaged by traffic, and thus losing phone/TV/Internet - duhhh.
Meanwhile my TimeWarner cable Internet speeds have gone from 30/10 Mbps this past May, when first installed, to over 200/30 Mbps - love that competition.
FWIW