AT&T's new fixed wireless access product 'performing well,' but being used selectively

AT&T CEO John Stankey said Internet Air, the company's new fixed wireless access (FWA) product, is "performing well" in the early going. But Stankey stressed that Internet Air will continue to be used on a limited, targeted basis. Further, Stankey said Internet Air is an attractive product for some smaller businesses, as a way to retain broadband customers in areas where the company is shutting down copper infrastructure and as a technology that can be used in some rural areas that are subject to government subsidies. "It's going to be key in certain parts of our consumer segment as we work through the next phase of our cost-reduction efforts," Stankey said. "It is [also] a means for us to begin finding a good catch to shut down other infrastructure and still serve customers." He added that one big caveat is ensuring that there's ample wireless capacity for Internet Air to deliver the kinds of speeds that customers require. "We will use it surgically and selectively, that will help us both on the cost side as well as retaining valuable customers where we think we can have the right kind of network capacity that will support the product going forward," he said.