AT&T invests $525 million to improve Arizona networks

PHOENIX — An investment of more half a billion dollars over the past three years by AT&T has boosted network reliability and performance and improved critical services for first responders in Arizona.

AT&T announced in a press release that the $525 million investment included 540 wireless upgrades in 2018, mostly by adding new cell cites and expanding LTE coverage.

Toni Morales Broberg, president of AT&T Arizona, said in the release that the company made wireless upgrades a priority in 2017.

“In 2017, Arizona enacted legislation that encourages companies to invest more in wireless infrastructure. This has helped us dedicate millions of dollars to building out Arizona’s mobile network,” Broberg said in the release.

Previously, AT&T invested $575 million in network upgrades in Arizona from 2014-16.

First responders who use FirstNet, AT&T’s communications platform for public safety officials, have benefited from the improvements.

Arizona first responders now have faster network speeds than any other commercial nationwide network, based on AT&T’s download speed analysis from the first quarter of 2019.

AT&T also invested $300,000 in an initiative called Believe Phoenix, which will address hunger and food security issues in the Phoenix area.

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