AT&T has pledged to accelerate fiber deployment in one million locations as a response to the passage of H.R. 1, signed into law July 4 by President Donald Trump.
AT&T’s announcement promises to invest more rapidly in infrastructure projects starting in 2026. It was sent to AT&T investors one day before the bill was signed.
The law, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill, renews the ability of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to auction radio spectrum, an ability that had lapsed due to gridlock in 2023. AT&T needs access to that spectrum to build out its AT&T network.
Before the bill passed, the White House listed more than 370 organizations and individuals that endorsed it.
AT&T topped the list, saying “we support the tax and spectrum pipeline provisions that will enable us to continue investing in next-generation broadband networks.”
Also on the list were Comcast, Charter Communications, the CTIA, T-Mobile, Verizon, and The Digital First Project.
AT&T’s announcement of its fiber plans — after both houses of Congress passed the bill — praised its tax provisions and lauded its ability to:
- Create a pipeline of midband spectrum
- Unleash high-speed infrastructure builds
- Restore America’s global lead in wireless technology through smart policy
Back in January, AT&T made a separate set of customer promises to wireless and fiber customers, including a pledge to offer refunds for outages, a plan to offer the best deals on phones, and a guarantee of same- or next-day service visits.
The promises to investors and customer alike come in the context of AT&T’s plans to acquire Lumen’s mass market fiber business. The plans are still subject to approval by stockholders and the FCC itself and could close as early as the first half of 2026. If all goes as planned, AT&T hopes to pass 60 million homes and business with fiber by 2030.
AT&T plans to provide more information about its near-term plans when it releases its second quarter financial results July 23, 2025.
