This was the expansion map for AT&T’s GigaPower, which is marketed as an “ultra-fast,” fiber-optic network. It comprised about 100 cities in two dozen metropolitan areas.
AT&T is likely putting the brakes on bringing gigabit-speed Internet to Nashville. The company told investors this morning that it was delaying its expansion into about 100 cities, a couple of days after President Obama urged federal regulators to put tougher rules on Internet service providers.
A company spokeswoman wouldn’t confirm whether Nashville would be affected, but earlier this year, Nashville was on the list of 100 cities targeted for fiber network expansion.
Nashville residents still might be in line for gigabit-speed Internet in the near future. Google Fiber said earlier this year that it’s thinking about expanding here. But Alex Curtis, who runs a Twitter page dedicated to Nashville Fiber updates, says AT&T’s announcement is disappointing news.
“If Google is the only company that provides fiber, then we’re all relying on it for really fast access to the Internet,” he says. “At least when we have two [companies], we’d have competition — maybe even have lower prices.”
It’s also still possible that Google will pass over Nashville, leaving the city without any gigabit-speed internet. A Google spokeswoman said in an email that it will have an update on expanding here “closer to the end of the year.”
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