AT&T Operations CEO John Stankey has confirmed during a speaking engagement at the 2010 edition of the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2010 Media, Communications & Entertainment Conference that the carrier is now planning a 2011 launch of its LTE network with trials currently underway in Dallas and Baltimore. The launch planned for next year is slated by the carrier to cover 70-75 million people across the country and is a significantly compressed timeframe compared to previous statements, no doubt driven in part by Verizon’s LTE launch later this year in 30 markets before a complete rollout during 2011-2013.
As expected, AT&T will also be continuing investment in its current 3G UMTS network to ensure that voice and data can work simultaneously on both UMTS and LTE with a possible capital expenditure of as much as $700 million this year and significantly higher in 2011 ahead of the mid-year LTE network launch. Stankey also confirmed that it will activate an additional 600 cell sites in the San Francisco area on October 1st to provide better service in one of the largest markets for AT&T service outside of New York City.
