AT&T CEO envisions different ways to leverage open access networks

AT&T CEO John Stankey touted open access fiber networks, giving several examples of how they could be structured to benefit AT&T. AT&T is partnering with BlackRock for an open access joint venture called Gigapower. The JV is building networks outside of AT&T’s footprint. It already has fiber builds in progress in parts of Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. Stankey said that open access is basically wholesaling, which has been a part of telecommunications for a long time. With open access, the owner of the network leases capacity to internet service providers, who, in turn, serve the end customers. The owner can lease to as few as one ISP, or it can lease to several ISPs who will all be competing for the end customer. AT&T isn’t the only one doing open access. There are a number of smaller companies who build these kinds of networks. Utopia in Utah has been the open-access poster child for several years. And recently, T-Mobile announced it was joining with EQT to buy Lumos and turn it into an open access fiber provider.