The City of Durham has reached an agreement with AT&T (NYSE: T) to deploy an ultrafast Internet network as part of the North Carolina Next Generation Network initiative. AT&T is seeking to build a fiber network ahead of Google, which has listed the Triangle as one of the targets for its Google Fiber network.
Raleigh has given preliminary approval.
Earlier this week, Winston-Salem formally agreed to the agreement.
Also, Carrboro’s town council agreed to let the city manager finalize an agreement.
- WRAL TechWire Insider exclusive: What’s the endgame for AT&T in entering the Durham market?
AT&T’s U-verse Internet and entertainment network would be extended to Durham for the first time as part of a “Giga-power” fiber network. Giga refers to gigabit Internet speeds, which is 10 times that of traditional cable networks.
Durham’s phone services are provided primarily by Frontier Communications. Time Warner Cable also serves the Durham market.
City managers in Raleigh, Cary, and Chapel Hill also have received approval from their councils to sign the agreement, an AT&T spokesperson ttold WRAL TechWire.
The formal Winston-Salem agreement was announced Tuesday.
The NCNGN consortium members include Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, N.C. State and Wake Forest universities along with the six municipalities.
AT&T already offer its U-verse entertainment and Internet cable-like service in parts of the Triangle and Triad.
The company also has disclosed plans to offer GigaPower in other North Carolina cities beyond the NCNGN proposal.
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary and Carrboro also are part of the NCNGN consortium.
Several cities, including Raleigh and Cary, are also negotiating with Google to bring a Google Fiber network to the Triangle.
