AT&T said it’s leaning harder on G.fast, a new standard that can help ISPs extend the life of DSL and put 1-Gig speeds in their crosshairs.
Targeted primarily to MDU environments such as apartments and condos, AT&T said it’s deploying G.fast in eight metros, and another 14 on tap.
AT&T, which recently wrapped a G.fast trial in Minneapolis, said the first eight initial launch cities with live G.fast properties include Boston; Denver; Minneapolis; New York City; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Seattle; and Tampa.
G.fast-based services are now on sale to MDUs in parts of these 14 metros: Albany, N.Y.; Baltimore; Buffalo, N.Y.; Cincinnati; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Hartford, Conn.; Omaha, Neb.; Pittsburgh; Portland, Ore.; Providence, R.I.; Richmond, Va.; Rochester, N.Y.; Washington, D.C., and Salt Lake City.
Though G.fast is a standard with 1-Gig in its sights, AT&T said it’s using the technology to deliver internet speeds of up to 500 Mbps.
“We’re tapping into the existing internet infrastructure in some multifamily properties to bring ultra-fast internet in less time and with less disruption than replacing the network with fiber,” Ed Balcerzak, senior vice president, AT&T Connected Communities, said in a statement. “While fiber to the unit remains the best broadband solution for most properties where possible, G.fast and fixed millimeter-wave provide connectivity to properties that aren’t able to support fiber. AT&T is committed to providing apartments and condos with connectivity across the nation, and innovations such as G.fast are helping us to do that.”
Frontier Communications and Windstream are among U.S. telcos that are starting to use G.fast for MDUs, but Verizon Communications apparently is not a big fan of the technology.
RELATED: Frontier Gets Going With G.fast
“Our strategy for G.Fast is not to deploy it,” Vincent O’Byrne, director of network planning for Verizon, said last week at the Adtran Connect event in Huntsville, Ala., according to FierceTelecom.
