Page 18 - SAMENA Trends - July-August 2023

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AT&T Unboxes Self-Install FWA Service

AT&T moved to make its fixed wireless access (FWA) service up in 15 minutes as it seeks to scale availability. In a blog, Erin
easier to install, expanding availability of equipment enabling set- Scarborough, president of broadband and connectivity initiatives,
explained its Internet Air equipment has been deployed in areas
where it is closing its copper-based DSL service. The set-up is also
being used by small businesses and could be deployed in rural
areas covered by government broadband subsidies. CEO John
Stankey highlighted potential to improve self-installation levels
for AT&T’s FWA service during its Q2 earnings call. Scarborough
explained Internet Air installation can be completed in five steps,
with customers scanning a QR code to access instructions. AT&T
also has an app to identify the optimal location for the FWA router.
The service cost $55 per month, fixed for a year, with no overage or
equipment charges, and no need for an annual contract. It offers
typical data rates of 40Mb/s to 140Mb/s in the downlink, well in
excess of the average 6Mb/s on AT&T’s DSL service.

AT&T Advances C-Band Rollout with Spectrum Bump

AT&T doubled the amount of C-Band spectrum available for began using C-Band spectrum in 2022 after several delays due
deployment after two satellite companies cleared it for use by to airline industry concerns over interference. Its deployments
mobile operators, enabling capacity and data rate increases. A of mid-band spectrum including a combination of C-Band and
representative told Mobile World Live (MWL) network performance 3.45GHz spectrum currently covers more than 175 million people.
in some cities will improve over the coming months as AT&T Equipment deployed including radios are capable of handling
continues to roll out its licensed C-Band spectrum by an average the full bandwidth spectrum load once software updates are
of 80MHz in each market. It now has access to a minimum completed. AT&T’s representative told MWL it retuned C-Band
of 100MHz of mid-band spectrum in the contiguous US and equipment previously deployed in 46 locations to provide faster
an average of 120MHz nationwide. “That’s bandwidth in every data rates and increased capacity.
available city, 406 locations in all,” the representative stated. AT&T

AT&T Wins School Prize with Connectivity Deals

AT&T got its sums right in a move to land a contract to provide the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, which highlighted a “need to
connectivity services to a school purchasing cooperative, a deal transform educational technology on a broader scale”. Joe Drygas,
the US operator stated will boost access for rural and tribal VP of public sector with the operator, stated the offers AT&T
communities. The operator agreed a trio of offers for Cooperative devised “will help close the digital divide for students across the
Educational Services (CES), which covers 89 public school districts state”, with the wide-ranging connectivity systems set to “enhance
in the US state of New Mexico, including one product relying on the learning experience”.
AT&T’s FirstNet emergency services network. FirstNet will be
employed to improve safety in schools by connecting school staff
and information systems, emergency call handlers and personnel
to cut response times. AT&T stated the set-up can also be
configured to provide push-to-talk systems to enhance “situational
awareness and emergency operations”. A second element covers
a cybersecurity agreement offering means to prevent attacks and
breaches: AT&T cited ransomware incidents as an example. The
third element involves providing a Wi-Fi-equipped school bus, a
feature AT&T noted would be welcome for students with lengthy
journeys. It added this function can also enable bus drivers to
access FirstNet “in a crisis”. AT&T stated CES took action after
“witnessing the discrepancies in connectivity for students” during

18 JULY-AUGUST 2023