AT&T gets a bargain for some of its old copper coffers
AT&T talks a big talk about its fiber broadband ambitions. It’s also putting the pedal to the medal on copper retirement, with a new $850 million deal as the stepping stone. The operator disclosed it signed a sale-leaseback deal of 74 central office (CO) facilities—used to house and connect equipment for copper networks—to real estate developer Reign Capital. What that means is AT&T will no longer own these COs, but it will make lease payments to Reign Capital for the space it needs to still serve copper customers, who make up around 5 percent of AT&T’s residential subscriber base. This move is “great news” for AT&T, said Recon Analytics Principal Roger Entner, as it “monetizes the empty space in prime locations.”
AT&T gets a bargain for some of its old copper coffers