Company targets 1 million more homes per year from 2026
AT&T announced it will speed up its fiber deployment starting in 2026, aiming to reach an additional 1 million locations annually. The decision comes after the signing of President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which includes tax incentives and investment-friendly provisions that the telecom giant says will enhance its long-term infrastructure plans.
The company said it would provide more details on the financial and strategic impact of the bill during its Q2 2025 earnings report, scheduled for July 23. AT&T had already set a goal to cover 60 million locations with fiber by the end of 2030, a target that now looks more achievable thanks to the bill’s supportive measures.
Lumen deal and NetworkCo structure form key part of expansion
A major component of AT&T’s strategy is its pending acquisition of Lumen’s Mass Markets fiber assets, a transaction expected to close in early 2026. This deal includes 4.4 million existing fiber locations and a plan to build to an additional 5.6 million, making Lumen a 10 million-location growth engine for AT&T’s fiber ambitions.
The acquired assets will be housed under a new fully owned subsidiary, currently labeled “NetworkCo.” AT&T plans to sell a stake in this subsidiary, potentially following the model of its existing Gigapower joint venture with BlackRock. This setup could help distribute risk and raise capital for further buildouts.
Policy support aligns with FCC’s Build America Agenda
AT&T’s announcement also comes on the heels of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s “Build America Agenda,” unveiled in South Dakota. The agenda prioritizes removing outdated regulations, streamlining permitting processes, and shifting investments away from legacy copper infrastructure toward modern fiber networks.
One of the key proposals is to phase out copper networks — a move that aligns with AT&T’s own objective of retiring most of its copper lines (except in California) by the end of 2029. To support legacy customers during the transition, AT&T has launched “AT&T Phone-Advanced,” a modern alternative that works over fiber and wireless connections.
Pole access reform could unlock faster deployments
Another focus of Carr’s agenda is the FCC’s pole attachment rules. Carr argued that delays in access to utility poles have long hindered large-scale deployments and promised a vote to update those rules later this month. These changes could further ease AT&T’s path to expanding its fiber footprint in hard-to-reach areas.