AT&T puts cable companies on notice with fiber plan

AT&T is looking to give cable companies a run for their money after years of lax competition, with CFO Pascal Desroches expressing confidence in its ability to steal share. The company is currently aiming to double its fiber footprint to 30 million customer locations by the end of 2025; Desroches reiterated that AT&T will primarily focus on filling in coverage within and adjacent to its existing footprint. In addition to targeting consumers, the CFO said AT&T will focus on serving the needs of small businesses, which he noted are increasingly run out of people’s homes. In the consumer wireline segment, Desroches said AT&T is “creating nice momentum” in terms of fiber additions. AT&T expects fiber-related revenues to grow faster than declines in legacy voice and copper for the second half of 2021.