AT&T invests $1.4+ billion in South Carolina

By Terrence Ford
Vice President of External Affairs
AT&T South Carolina

In South Carolina, we invested more than $1.4 billion in our network infrastructure from 2019-2023 to connect more people to greater possibility.

We understand how a connection can make the difference. That’s why our mission is to bring connectivity to everyone, no matter where they live or where they come from. We’re working to not only boost network reliability and capacity but also expand broadband nationwide to help bridge the digital divide.

Committed to expanding connectivity, our investment focuses on all facets of the network —including fiber, 5G and FirstNet®, Built with AT&T.

Expanding Access to Fiber: To help meet the demands for reliable, high-speed connections today – and in the future – we’re investing in our fiber network. With nearly 2.2 million fiber optic strand miles in South Carolina, AT&T Fiber® is now available to more than 460,000 locations in 55 cities.

• With nearly 87 million fiber strand miles in 21 states, AT&T Fiber® now passes 26M+ locations in more than 100 metros.
• AT&T Fiber provides speed, reliability and value for consumers and businesses to enhance their internet experience for applications like video conferencing, virtual learning, telehealth, gaming and more.
• When public entities team up with trusted providers, more Americans are connected to greater opportunity. In South Carolina, we’ve collaborated with localities to bring AT&T Fiber to more corners of the state including Aiken County, Edgefield County, Charleston and Greenville.
  • $19 million expansion to benefit businesses and consumers in CSRA
  • AT&T Plans to Deliver Fiber Internet to Charleston and Greenville

Unlocking the Power of 5G: From rural communities to urban areas, our overall wireless voice and data network covers more than 99% of all Americans, including South Carolina. Our 5G network today reaches more than 295 million people in more than 24,500 cities and towns across the U.S. with our mid-band spectrum available nationwide, covering more than 210 million people.

• We’re working with businesses from manufacturing to healthcare to create new innovations and increase efficiencies with AT&T 5G.
• We’re ramping up performance in high traffic areas, like airports, stadiums and venues.
• For less densely populated areas, we’re expanding our 5G network so people there can have access to reliable connectivity.

Giving First Responders the Reliable Connectivity they Need: As America’s public safety communication partner, we are expanding and enhancing FirstNet to give the public safety community better access to their network. Setting the stage for first responder innovation over the next 10 years, the FirstNet Authority announced a series of strategic investments totaling more than $8 billion into FirstNet. The latest network investment of $6.3 billion will enable AT&T to deliver a standalone FirstNet 5G core, provide always-on priority and preemption across all AT&T 5G commercial spectrum bands and build 1,000 new FirstNet sites across the country over the next two years.

• In South Carolina, we’re connecting public safety agencies, first responders and organizations in nearly 200 cities across the state.
• We’ve rolled out Band 14 on nearly 1,400 sites across South Carolina to provide public safety with truly dedicated coverage and capacity when they need it.

And, we’re not just investing in our network, we’re also investing in our communities. AT&T recently announced it is committing an additional $3 billion by 2030 to help close the digital divide, bringing the company’s total commitment to $5 billion since 2021.

• In South Carolina, we have collaborated with nonprofit and community organizations in communities across the state to provide digital resources, programming and tools to help close the digital divide. Last year, we collaborated with Communities In Schools of South Carolina to distribute 150 laptops to local students and families in Greenville and North Charleston.

To keep up with all the latest updates from AT&T South Carolina, follow us on Twitter @ATTPublicPolicy and @ATTPolicySC and on LinkedIn.