AT&T was selected by the state of California to expand AT&T Fiber to nearly 7,500 residential and business locations in Riverside, San Bernardino and San Mateo Counties as part of a $30 million public-private project to help bridge the digital divide. AT&T will also invest additional private capital for the project’s costs in each of the three counties.
During their Aug. 22 meeting, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved grant awards from the CPUC’s Federal Funding Account (FFA) program to build out broadband networks in unserved and underserved areas and help close the digital divide in communities across the state. The FFA program was established from state and federal funds to enhance last-mile connections as part of Senate Bill 156, which was signed into law in 2021.
“We are excited about this public-private partnership opportunity to continue to work with the state and local leaders to deploy broadband to homes and businesses to help close the digital divide,” said Marc Blakeman, President - AT&T California and Pacific States. “We are looking forward to bringing our fast, reliable, and affordable fiber broadband network to parts of Riverside, San Bernardino and San Mateo Counties.”
In September 2023, AT&T submitted 250 FFA broadband grant proposals for the opportunity to coinvest in expanding its high-speed internet service to more than 1 million customer locations in nearly 50 counties across California.
“It’s a good day for San Mateo County as this funding for broadband brings high-speed connectivity to more families and small businesses,” said San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa. “With fiber-based internet, residents will have access to the tools they need to succeed in today’s digital economy, and I look forward to future expansions that bring this service to even more families across the area.”
AT&T will conduct extensive design and engineering work for these projects to build out the network in Riverside, San Bernardino and San Mateo Counties. Residents and businesses can learn more about AT&T Fiber at fiber.att.com and can sign up to be notified when service will be available at their address at att.com/notifyme.
AT&T Fiber is the fastest internet in the nation, according to the Ookla® Speedtest Connectivity Report.1 AT&T Fiber delivers speeds of up to 5-Gigs2 paired with network reliability for everyday needs. Customers can connect multiple devices, stream multiple entertainment sources, quickly upload content to social media and experience ultra-low lag for pro-level gaming – all at the same time.
Closing the Digital Divide
AT&T invested nearly $14.4 billion in California wireless and wireline network infrastructure from 2019-2023. Today, more than 3.23 million residential and business locations have access to AT&T Fiber in urban and rural communities across California and we are continuing to expand in other parts of California through our own investments and in public-private projects.
AT&T has also opened 9 AT&T Connected Learning Centers in California to provide access to high-speed internet, computers and educational resources under one roof. This includes centers inside the Rincon Education Department located on the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians Reservation in San Diego County, and inside the Boys & Girls Club of Pinoleville Pomo Nation in Ukiah.
"I am thrilled to see this significant investment in our community's digital infrastructure,” said Acquanetta Warren, Mayor, City of Fontana. “This partnership with AT&T will be instrumental in closing the digital divide and empowering our citizens with the tools they need for education, economic growth, and enhanced quality of life. We are grateful to the CPUC and AT&T for their commitment to bringing these essential services to Fontana and beyond."
AT&T is committed to connecting more Americans to reliable, high-speed internet. This includes offering a variety of flexible plans available at a great value, such as Access from AT&T which offers speeds up to 100Mbps for $30/month plus tax and fees.
Source: https://about.att.com/story/2024/california-fiber-expansion.html