AT&T outlined its 2006 plans to expand its international network to better serve its multinational customers. Highlight include:
- Extended dedicated MPLS-based IP access capabilities, giving service nodes in 127 countries,
- Integration of more than 1,000 Frame Relay/ATM nodes in the legacy SBC 13-state region into the AT&T backbone network,
- Installing seven AT&T Global Network nodes in Cyprus, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Malaysia, India and Vietnam.
- Commissioning 16 additional network interconnections in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Russia, Vietnam, India, Japan, Brazil, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador and Dominican Republic giving greater in-depth country coverage.
- More than doubling DSL broadband capabilities via alliance agreements with local carriers, in Finland, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Portugal, Greece, Ireland, India, New Zealand, Argentina, Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Canada, Taiwan and Singapore. Plans call for DSL broadband access in up to 27 countries by year-end 2006.
- Additional Ethernet connectivity in Canada, UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Austria, India, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Australia targeting up to 20 countries by year-end 2006.
- Additional satellite coverage in Afghanistan, Burkina-Faso, Chad, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Nepal, Brunei and Sri Lanka which will provide access from a total of 20 countries worldwide.
- Expanding Wi-Fi capabilities through alliances, including providing access to AT&T Remote Access customers from more than 6,000 McDonald's locations across the United States; and an agreement with WeRoam and enabling 5,500 additional locations in countries across Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. The AT&T Wi-Fi footprint now includes to a total of more than 24,000 locations in 52 countries for these customers.
The international expansion is part of the new AT&T's previously announced $8 billion to $8.5 billion expected capital investment in 2006.
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