CHAPEL HILL, N.C., June 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Town officials ratified an agreement with AT&T to bring ultra-fast Internet access to residents and businesses in Chapel Hill. AT&T will provide U-verse® with GigaPowerSM over a fiber network with speeds capable of up to 1 gigabit per second.
The agreement stemmed from a North Carolina Next Generation Network (NCNGN) initiative. The NCNGN is comprised of six cities, four leading universities, and local business leaders working to encourage development of high-speed broadband networks in the state. The Town Council authorized Chapel Hill to proceed with the AT&T fiber broadband network agreement on May 28, and it was ratified later in June.
The plan outlines potential fiber deployments to deliver ultra-fast broadband to parts of Chapel Hill. AT&T U-verse with GigaPower will also deliver advanced TV services and Internet speeds up to 10 times faster than what is available in Chapel Hill today.
How fast is 1 Gigabit?
Download 25 songs in one second
Download your favorite TV show in less than 3 seconds
Download an HD online movie in less than 36 seconds
“This is excellent news for Chapel Hill residents and businesses,” said Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt. “The agreement with AT&T will contribute to our efforts to offer a new level of participation in digital democracy and civic engagement, expand opportunities for education and research, and drive job creation and economic growth.”
This investment by AT&T is in addition to its ongoing investment to expand its fiber network to tens of thousands of North Carolina residents and businesses over the next two years. In addition, similar AT&T U-verse with GigaPower plans, related to the NCNGN initiative, are currently approved in Cary, Durham, Raleigh, and Winston-Salem and pending ratification in Carrboro.
“We’ve already received great input from North Carolinians eager for the fastest available speeds,” said Venessa Harrison, President, AT&T-North Carolina. “This ultra-fast fiber build will help foster innovation, enhance education, and encourage growth.”
Other AT&T initiatives in 2014 include:
- Enhance and expand its 4G LTE wireless network, the most reliable network in the nation.**** AT&T 4G LTE wireless service is available in 24 North Carolina markets.
- Expand our U-verse footprint to more areas of North Carolina. U-verse is currently available in Raleigh, Cary, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Charlotte, Asheville and surrounding areas.
AT&T invested more than $1.6 billion in its North Carolina wireless and wireline networks between 2011 and 2013. AT&T has served the state of North Carolina for 133 years and employs more than 6,800 people across the state.
AT&T launched AT&T U-verse with GigaPower to thousands of households in Austin, Texas, and surrounding communities in December 2013 and in January announced it will expand the fiber network to double the households in the Austin area this year as a result of high demand that has exceeded expectations. AT&T has plans to expand to Dallas, Texas this summer. In April, AT&T announced it’s considering 100 U.S. cities and municipalities for the ultra-fast fiber network.
For more information, visit about.att.com/mediakit/gigapower.
