AT&T on Google Fiber: ‘We welcome additional competition’

Fiber wars in the Triangle entered a new phase Tuesday.

First came Frontier Communications in Durham and Durham County.

Next came AT&T.

Now, Google Fiber.

AT&T has a head start on Google Fiber with a growing Triangle footprint, Google announced today plans to build its own ultrafast Internet network across the Triangle. But AT&T already is laying fiber and selling access where available to its U-verse with GigaPower network.

It’s also building the N.C. Next Generation Network, having won a contract from the NCNGN consortium which includes several Triangle municipalities as well as N.C. State, Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill and Wake Forest Universities. And the company says it welcomes Google Fiber to the Triangle.

“We welcome additional competition because it strengthens customer offerings and drives innovation,” AT&T spokesperson Josh Gelinas told WRAL TechWire.

AT&T and Google Fiber are already going head-to-head in Austin, Texas. 

AT&T began selling its GigaPower service in the Triangle in Durham, and crews are digging fiber at multiple locations. The company has plans as well to expand into Durham County where it will take on embedded communications provider Frontier. 

And AT&T is pleased with progress so far.

“We’re pleased to see AT&T GigaPower sales exceed our expectations,” said Gelinas in response to a series of questions.

We’re excited about the initial feedback we’ve received about U-verse with AT&T GigaPower in NCNGN communities and we look forward to expanding availability to additional consumers and small businesses.

“U-verse with AT&T GigaPower’s fiber-enhanced speeds open up new possibilities for innovators and businesses, as well as consumers who want faster speeds for surfing, shopping, gaming, social networking, business transactions and more.”