AT&T Fires Up 100% Fiber Network in Southeast Michigan

DETROIT — AT&T Inc. says it has launched its ultra-fast 100-percent fiber optic internet service in parts of southeast Michigan.

The company says it now connects eligible homes, apartments and small business locations in the area to a 1-gigabit-per-second internet connection under the AT&T Fiber brand.

AT&T has made AT&T Fiber available in parts of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties by launching in Canton Township, the South Lyon area, Clinton Township and Novi.

The company said it plans to expand access to ultra-fast internet speeds in parts of Detroit, Ann Arbor, Roseville and Ferndale in mid-2017.

To find out where the service is available, visit att.com/fibermap or  att.com/apartments. The service starts at $90 a month. Customers may also be able to add AT&T’s DirecTV or U-verse TV services.

To get an idea of the speed of a gigabit connection, it equals 25 songs downloaded in a second, or a 90-minute HD movie downloaded in less than 34 seconds. It also allows seamless telecommuting, videoconferencing, and uploading and downloading photos and videos. For more on internet speeds, visit www.att.com/speed101.

The Southeast Michigan area is one of 67 metropolitan areas where AT&T has made its fastest internet service available. The service is now available in more than 3 million locations, of which more than  500,000 are apartments and condo units. The company plans to offer the service in 12.5 million locations by mid-2019.

AT&T says it has invested nearly $1.65 billion in its wireless and wireline networks in Michigan from the start of 2013 to the end of 2015.

“AT&T is committed to extending access to ultra-fast internet because our customers are increasingly interacting with their world in more data-intensive ways,” AT&T Michigan president said Jim Murray said in a press release. “A growing number of people are streaming content directly from their devices, and interacting with family and friends through live videos.”

Said Sally Tallberg, chair of the Michigan Public Service Commission: “We fully support AT&T’s investment in ultra-fast internet in the region. We look forward to working with them to expand in the city of Detroit and other communities. High-speed internet is a service residents and businesses have come to expect and access to it will enhance opportunities to grow our local economy.”