AT&T to Spend $14 Billion to Upgrade Wireless Networks

U.S. carrier AT&T has announced an ambitious plan to upgrade its wireless networks through investment totaling $14 billion.

Project Velocity IP, otherwise known as VIP, will receive an investment of $14 billion over the next three years. $8 billion will be focused towards its wireless division and a further $6 billion for wireline.

The investment is designed to expand the company's 4G LTE coverage for its wireless network, as well as delivering a faster service and more fiber-optic lines. On the landline side of its investment, it'll receive expanded U-Verse availability.

"This directly addresses the strategic questions concerning our spectrum position and gives us a bigger platform for new growth," AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said. "The last five years have been an adrenalin rush, and in the next five years the cloud technology will drive even more change. The past five years changed communication industry, but over next five years every industry will change and there will be demand for high-speed secure networks."

The carrier also announced that it will be extending its 4G LTE coverage to 300 million consumers by the end of 2014, which is 50 million more customers than previously planned. AT&T expects to cover 99 percent of all customer locations through the deliverance of 4G LTE.

Project VIP's upgrade plan will result in considerably higher speeds for customers. The firm will eventually be able to offer 90 percent of its U-Verse region 75 megabits per second, while 75 percent will receive speeds of 100 megabits per second.

When the investments are completed, AT&T said 90 percent of its overall revenue will derive from its high-growth area, with the carrier aiming to discontinue traditional phones and landline connections.

Contact Us for News Tips, Corrections and Feedback

  • RADIO_ACTIVE
    About time, they have been raping people right and left for a while...
    Reply
  • 100 megabits per second with a 20GB monthly cap...
    Reply
  • kyuuketsuki
    AT&T to Spend $14 Billion to Upgrade Wireless Networks
    Project Velocity IP, otherwise known as VIP, will receive an investment of $14 billion over the next three years. $8 billion will be focused towards its wireless division and a further $6 billion for wireline.
    So, the headline is wrong. "Only" 8 billion is going toward the wireless network. 14 billion is the combined total for the investments into wireless and wireline.
    traans100 megabits per second with a 20GB monthly cap...Current monthly cap on U-verse is 250GB. Not that I'm defending having a cap, but if you're going to complain at least get your facts straight.
    Reply
  • bak0n
    And. I'm leaving them when my contract expires anyways so don't care.
    Reply
  • spartanmk2
    Does this mean the cell tower near my house will get camoulfage?
    Reply
  • Thunderfox
    With bandwidth caps and crackdown on file sharing, all this bandwidth will mostly benefit Netflix and Hulu and places like that.
    Reply
  • noob2222
    I wonder who gets to pay for this upgrade?

    hidden fine print : current AT&T customers will see a 50% increase in their bill over the next 5 years.
    Reply
  • spentshells
    noob2222I wonder who gets to pay for this upgrade? hidden fine print : current AT&T customers will see a 50% increase in their bill over the next 5 years.
    Dude it's already paid for by every person who went 1GB over in the last few years trust me this was a cash deal
    Reply
  • frank_drebin
    will i get get 4 bars at home, then?
    Reply
  • nebun
    where do they get this kind of money???
    Reply