AT&T expands DSL footprint

AT&T expanded its DSL offering into four more states today, adding data, long distance and local voice bundling options in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Virginia and Maryland. With its initial launch in New York, AT&T is selling DSL in a total of five states now, all in Verizon Communications territory.

Last week AT&T announced it would expand its local network to 35 states using the unbundled network element platform beyond the current 13 it offers service in today. The carrier plans to aggressively push deployment of DSL in all of those territories, using an ADSL line-splitting partnership agreement with Covad, according to an AT&T spokesman. However, he gave no specific timeline.

The choice to expand further into Verizon territory was based on experience AT&T and Covad had working with the RBOC in New York as well as the establishment of its local networks in those states. “You have to start somewhere,” the spokesman said. “We intend to be in many more states by the end of the year and eventually offer DSL everywhere we offer local service.”

Fellow IXCs turned CLECs MCI and Sprint are both rapidly expanding their local footprints bringing more services into their bundles as competition in the local markets heats up. Sprint will be the first to add wireless to its mix, but as of yet has no DSL offer. MCI is also planning a rapid DSL expansion through a new agreement with Covad, and the RBOCs have announced aggressive bundling plans, several of which include digital broadcast satellite services as well as wireless service.

AT&T has it’s own plans in the hopper. In San Diego and Tampa, Fla., AT&T is testing a service called AT&T One, which resells AT&T Wireless’ over-the-air minutes in the same package with local and long-distance. The trials or only in their infancy, but AT&T’s ultimate goal is to extend AT&T One across the country, the spokesman said.