AT&T Internet
| Company type | Brand |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Predecessor | U-verse Internet |
| Founded | 1996 |
Area served | United States, 59 countries (business internet) |
| Products | Broadband internet services, fiber-optic internet |
| Parent | AT&T |
AT&T Internet represents a broadband internet service brand under the AT&T umbrella. Previously known as U-verse Internet and offered alongside U-verse TV—which became part of the standalone DirecTV entity in 2021—its fiber-optic offerings are now promoted under the AT&T Fiber name.
Services
The internet connectivity provided by AT&T primarily utilizes either a fiber-to-the-node (FTTN) or fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) infrastructure. In FTTN configurations, fiber cables extend to distribution nodes, with copper lines completing the link to customer locations. More recent deployments favor FTTP, delivering fiber directly to an optical network terminal inside residences.
For FTTN coverage areas, AT&T employs advanced digital subscriber line technologies such as ADSL2+ and VDSL. The attainable speeds vary according to how close customers are to distribution points or central offices.
In more remote or older neighborhoods, where fixed-line broadband is gradually being retired, slower ADSL2+ connections are offered without pair bonding or VRAD hardware. Customers access the internet via Ethernet or Wi-Fi through provided residential gateways or DSL modems.
The AT&T Fiber service delivers fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) connections in select regions, originally launched under the GigaPower brand in 2013 and bundled with U-verse TV as "U-verse with GigaPower."
Basic through Max (VDSL) packages generally support self-installation. Max (ADSL2+), Max Plus, and Max Turbo plans require either a single jack setup or no landline sharing for customers to install on their own. Enhanced speeds may be achievable with superior wiring quality or appropriate filters.
On August 26, 2013, AT&T rolled out Internet 45 (previously called "Power"), which necessitates pair bonding and a Motorola NVG589 VDSL2+ Gateway, along with associated installation and monthly charges.
| Plan | Maximum Download Speed | Maximum Upload Speed | Technology | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Basic 5 | 5 Mbit/s | 1 Mbit/s | VDSL or ADSL2+ | Upload speeds reach up to 768 kbit/s on ADSL2+ |
| Internet 10 | 10 Mbit/s | 1 Mbit/s | VDSL or ADSL2+ | Upload speeds up to 1 Mbit/s with ADSL2+ |
| Internet 25 | 25 Mbit/s | 5 Mbit/s | VDSL2 | |
| Internet 50 | 50 Mbit/s | 10 Mbit/s | VDSL2 | Available in select locations; requires VDSL2 pair bonding or 17 MHz frequency |
| Internet 75 | 75 Mbit/s | 20 Mbit/s | VDSL2 | Limited markets; demands VDSL2 pair bonding and 17 MHz frequency |
| Internet 100 | 100 Mbit/s | 20 Mbit/s | VDSL2 | Offered in select areas; needs VDSL2 pair bonding and 17 MHz frequency |
| Internet 300 | 300 Mbit/s | 300 Mbit/s | GPON or XGS-PON | |
| Internet 500 | 500 Mbit/s | 500 Mbit/s | GPON or XGS-PON | |
| Internet 1000 | 1000 Mbit/s | 1000 Mbit/s | GPON or XGS-PON | |
| Internet 2000 | 2000 Mbit/s | 2000 Mbit/s | XGS-PON | |
| Internet 5000 | 5000 Mbit/s | 5000 Mbit/s | XGS-PON |
Business internet
AT&T Business Internet (ATTBI) delivers Internet connectivity and related services across 59 countries, with extended coverage reaching an additional 147 nations. ATTBI provides DSL options ranging from 25 to 500 Mbit/s and fiber-optic connections offering speeds up to 1 Gbit/s.
Line equipment
AT&T Internet utilizes Alcatel-Lucent 7330 or 7340 Intelligent Services Access Manager (ISAM) units, also called video-ready access devices (VRAD), installed either in central offices or neighborhood serving area interfaces (SAI). The 7330 model supports FTTN (fiber to the node) by leveraging existing copper wiring, which imposes distance limitations between the VRAD and residences. It operates as an IP-DSLAM compatible with VDSL and ADSL protocols. The 7340 model is designed for FTTP (fiber to the premises), mainly deployed in new housing developments where fiber runs directly to homes, removing copper-related distance restrictions. The 7340 connects through dual-strand fiber to an SAI, which then branches out into 32 individual customer fiber pairs terminating at network interface devices at residences.
On the upstream side, the VRAD links to an Alcatel-Lucent 7450 Ethernet service switch housed in the central office hub, which subsequently connects to the video hub office headend.
Customer equipment
AT&T supplies customer premises equipment (CPE) that can be leased monthly or purchased with a one-year warranty. This includes wireless routers and modems referred to as residential gateways (RG) or internet gateways. Additionally, AT&T offers TV receivers manufactured by Cisco (through Scientific Atlanta) and Arris (originating from the former Motorola cable division), encompassing standard, wireless, and DVR models.
For triple play customers (TV, Internet, Phone), VDSL2 transport is utilized with modems such as:
- 2Wire 3600 (now obsolete)
- 2Wire 3800 (now obsolete)
- 2Wire 3801
- Pace 5031NV
- 2Wire iNID (comprising i3812V external unit, iPSU power supply, and i38HG internal connectivity component) (now obsolete)
- Arris NVG589
- Arris NVG599
- Pace 5268AC
- Arris BGW210
Customers with fiber-to-the-home service may also employ additional routers like the Nokia BGW320, which integrates an ONT with an SFP transceiver alongside a standard ONT port.
For double play customers (Internet and Phone) without fiber access, ADSL2+ transport is employed using modems including:
- 2Wire 2701HGV-B (model number must include "V") (now obsolete)
- Motorola 2210-02-1ATT (black AT&T variant; silver version designed for PPPoE) (now obsolete)
- Motorola NVG510
- Pace 5168NV (the sole RG supporting VOIP on a 1.5 Mbit/s profile and bonded ADSL+2)
Four models support bonded pair configurations: the 2Wire iNID, Arris NVG589, NVG599, and Pace 5268AC. The Motorola NVG589 succeeded the iNID for bonded pair installations; subsequently, the NVG599 and Pace 5268AC replaced the NVG589 and are used interchangeably. These devices are compatible with both ADSL2+ and VDSL standards.
All AT&T Internet transport employs 802.1X authentication protocols, restricting service usage to AT&T-certified equipment capable of authenticating with AT&T DSLAMs and GPON/XGS-PON ONTs. This security measure prevents bridge mode functionality; instead, routers from 2Wire/Pace offer a DMZ+ mode, whereas Motorola/Arris devices provide IP Passthrough capabilities. Static IP addresses are available for both residential and business clients across all sanctioned devices.
Certain GPON and XGS-PON subscribers have unofficially bypassed AT&T routers by bridging or cloning 802.1X certificates onto third-party routers or ONTs. This allows direct connection to the network and delivers performance comparable to other ISPs such as DOCSIS, Verizon Fios, and Google Fiber, although it requires additional steps or hardware.
Initially, AT&T's IP-DSL deployments used either the 2Wire 2701HGV-B or Motorola 2210 paired with Cisco Linksys E1000 for residential use or EdgeMarc 250AEW for business applications. The 2701HGV-B limited speeds to approximately 6 Mbit/s; the Motorola 2210 supported higher throughput. Later on, AT&T standardized on the Motorola NVG510 for new installations.
With the introduction of the Internet 45 tier in 2013, installations began utilizing the iNID but later transitioned to the Motorola NVG589, which supports pair-bonding for both ADSL2+ and VDSL2 technologies. The NVG589 also includes an internal battery backup for phone service during power outages; however, AT&T ceased providing batteries for residential customers.
| Device | Transport Type | Static IP | Wireless Support | Bridge Mode Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2Wire 3600/3800/3801 | VDSL2 ONT |
Yes | 802.11b/g | DMZ+ |
| 2Wire 5031NV | VDSL2 Also compatible with ADSL2+ |
Yes | 802.11b/g 802.11n |
DMZ+ |
| 2Wire 270HGV-B | ADSL2+ | Yes | 802.11b/g | DMZ+ |
| 2Wire iNID | VDSL2 Bonded Pair | Yes | 802.11b/g | DMZ+ |
| Motorola NVG510 | ADSL2+ | Yes | 802.11b/g 802.11n |
IP Passthrough |
| Arris NVG589 | ADSL2+ VDSL2 ADSL2+ Bonded Pair VDSL2 Bonded Pair ONT |
Yes | 802.11b/g 802.11n |
IP Passthrough |
| Arris NVG599 | ADSL2+ VDSL2 ADSL2+ Bonded Pair VDSL2 Bonded Pair ONT |
Yes | 802.11b/g Dual-Band 802.11n(2x2)/AC(3x3) |
IP Passthrough |
| Motorola 2210 | ADSL2+ | No | None | IP Passthrough |
| Pace 5268AC | ADSL2+ VDSL2 ADSL2+ Bonded Pair VDSL2 Bonded Pair ONT |
Yes | 802.11b/g Dual-Band 802.11n(2x2)/AC(4x4) |
DMZ+ |
| Arris BGW210 | ADSL2+ VDSL2 ADSL2+ Bonded Pair VDSL2 Bonded Pair ONT |
Yes | 802.11b/g Dual-Band 802.11n(3x3)/AC(4x4) |
IP Passthrough |
Worldnet
AT&T Worldnet, introduced in 1996 as a dial-up Internet provider, was a direct competitor to AOL during the early days of the ISP industry.
By 2007, the AT&T Internet Services brand represented five AT&T-owned entities delivering Internet access under the AT&T Yahoo! banner:
- Ameritech Interactive Media Services (ameritech.net)
- Pacific Bell Internet Services, including Pacific Bell (pacbell.net) and Nevada Bell (nvbell.net)
- Prodigy, which SBC acquired in 2001 (prodigy.net)
- SNET Diversified Group, catering to customers in Connecticut; this unit was later integrated into AT&T Corp. after AT&T sold Southern New England Telephone and SNET America to Frontier Communications
- Southwestern Bell Internet Services (swbell.net, sbcglobal.net)
In 2008, BellSouth Telecommunications (bellsouth.net) operated AT&T FastAccess Internet services throughout the Southeastern United States, managing the att.net domain alongside AT&T Yahoo! offerings in that territory.
New email accounts from these divisions generally used the "att.net" domain, while existing addresses continued with their original domains supported by Maillennium, an email platform developed by AT&T Labs.
Starting in 2010, AT&T began transitioning all former Worldnet subscribers to services such as AT&T Dial, High Speed Internet, Pre-Paid Internet, or standalone portals. Accounts not transitioned by April 15, 2010, were deactivated. The nationwide AT&T Dial service was ultimately discontinued in November 2020.
U-verse
AT&T U-verse, commonly referred to as U-verse, served as AT&T's triple-play offering that combined broadband Internet, VoIP telephone, and IPTV services across 22 states.
Originally unveiled in 2004 by SBC Communications under the codename "Project Lightspeed," focusing on fiber-optic and IPTV technologies, the service was renamed U-verse following SBC’s acquisition of AT&T in 2005. Beta testing commenced that year, with the official commercial rollout on June 26, 2006, starting in San Antonio. The rollout quickly extended to major metropolitan areas such as Houston, Chicago, and Los Angeles throughout 2007. By January 2010, U-verse had expanded its reach to more than 2.8 million residences.
Voice services were introduced in January 2008 beginning with Detroit. By the end of that year, availability approached nearly 8 million homes with a subscriber base exceeding 225,000; by 2009, U-verse had signed up approximately 1 million telephone and 2.1 million television customers. Internet speeds were enhanced with the launch of Internet 18 (Max 18) in November 2008 and followed by Internet 24 (Max Turbo) in December 2009.
In May 2011, AT&T implemented a monthly data cap of 150 GB for all DSL users, applying additional fees after three instances of exceeding this limit.
By late 2011, U-verse had coverage extending to over 30 million housing units and counted 3.8 million TV subscribers. Mid-2012 statistics indicated subscriber numbers of 4.1 million for TV services, 2.6 million for phone lines, and 6.5 million for Internet access; these figures rose by the third quarter of 2012 to reach 4.3 million TV users, 2.7 million phone subscribers, and 7.1 million Internet customers.
Following its acquisition of DirecTV in 2015, AT&T announced intentions to merge DirecTV and U-verse platforms into a single "home entertainment gateway," aiming to simplify installation processes and improve content delivery systems.
In early 2016, reports surfaced that AT&T was scaling back new U-verse IPTV hardware deployments to concentrate on DirecTV satellite services due to its broader national subscriber base and lower content costs; nevertheless, U-verse remained available where suitable.
To address increasing data consumption trends, AT&T raised its Internet data caps in May 2016.
On May 16, 2016, AT&T acquired Quickplay Media to enhance its over-the-top (OTT) video streaming capabilities ahead of planned DirecTV streaming service launches.
AT&T Internet
On September 19, 2016, AT&T transitioned its broadband and VoIP phone offerings from the "U-verse" label to "AT&T Internet" and "AT&T Phone," respectively, while maintaining the U-verse brand exclusively for television services. The company introduced "AT&T Fiber" as the designation for its fiber-optic internet service, with "AT&T Internet" continuing to represent DSL-based connections.
During the first quarter of 2017, AT&T experienced a decline of 233,000 video subscribers. Originally launched in Austin, Texas in 2014 with speeds of 300 Mbit/s, AT&T Fiber had escalated its maximum download speed to 1 Gbit/s by that same year. By 2019, the fiber network extended fully across 84 metropolitan areas.
Beginning in August 2019, AT&T initiated the replacement of U-verse TV with AT&T TV—built on the DirecTV Now platform—in selected regions. By April 2020, new customers were no longer offered U-verse TV but instead subscribed to AT&T TV. Nevertheless, as of September 2020, AT&T confirmed that U-verse remained accessible in certain markets.
In October 2020, AT&T halted new sales of DSL connections to phase out legacy services; mid-2020 data indicated approximately 650,000 DSL lines were still active. The company continues to provide a hybrid fiber service under the “AT&T Internet” brand, which combines fiber backhaul with DSL last-mile infrastructure to enhance performance.
On August 2, 2021, the spin-off of DirecTV was finalized. Both AT&T TV (rebranded as DirecTV Stream) and U-verse TV became fully owned by DirecTV.
Web portal
The att.net web portal was launched by AT&T in 1995 to support its Worldnet internet service. Following SBC Communications’ acquisition of AT&T in 2005 and its subsequent purchase of BellSouth, att.net expanded to include BellSouth Dial and BellSouth DSL customers along with all AT&T ISP users within SBC’s operating area who had not opted for the SBC Yahoo! portal.
On January 30, 2008, AT&T terminated its collaboration with Google for my.att.net and began transitioning to Yahoo!-powered services starting in the second quarter of that year. The revamped att.net portal debuted on April 2, 2008, completing the migration of Worldnet customers by May 2010. This consolidation brought all AT&T ISP users under a unified AT&T-branded Yahoo! platform featuring premium Yahoo! email accounts.
On May 4, 2016, AT&T outsourced management of most internal internet services to Synacor while retaining Yahoo as the email provider. However, by June 30, 2017, AT&T email accounts no longer automatically functioned as Yahoo accounts.
The agreement with Synacor concluded in 2019 when Verizon Communications—Yahoo!’s owner since 2017—secured the contract. Concurrently, the portal was renamed "Currently from AT&T."