AT&T has completed one of the fastest large-scale spectrum deployments in U.S. wireless history by integrating mid-band 3.45 GHz licenses acquired from DISH’s parent EchoStar across nearly 23,000 cell sites in a matter of weeks. AT&T announced today that the new spectrum is now active in more than 5,300 cities and towns spanning 48 states, adding significant capacity and performance to the carrier’s existing 5G network.
The additional mid-band resource is already delivering measurable improvements for both mobile and fixed-wireless customers. Early data indicate average download speeds on upgraded bands have increased by as much as 80 percent for traditional mobility service and up to 55 percent for AT&T Internet Air, the company’s 5G-based home broadband offering. These gains come from the inherent characteristics of mid-band spectrum, which balances wide coverage with high data throughput.
“We’ve put EchoStar spectrum to work on our network and customers are already feeling the difference,” said Jeff McElfresh, chief operating officer, AT&T. “This gives us the runway to expand availability of AT&T Internet Air for consumers and businesses and add even more download speed to our 5G service. We’re setting the bar for what it means to be the best advanced networking company in America.”
The deployment strengthens what AT&T describes as North America’s largest wireless footprint and enhances a spectrum portfolio that already includes low-, mid-, and high-band holdings. By increasing capacity without requiring widespread construction of new cell sites, the company expects to realize long-term operating efficiencies and reduce future capital expenditures that would otherwise be needed to accommodate growing data demand.
The added spectrum is also expected to support continued expansion of converged services, where customers subscribe to both wireless plans and AT&T’s fixed-wireless or fiber-based home internet products. This bundled approach has become a key growth area for the carrier, and the new capacity provides additional headroom for streaming, gaming, remote work, and emerging AI-driven applications.
Public safety communications will benefit as well. The 3.45 GHz spectrum is now part of FirstNet, the nationwide public-safety broadband network built and operated by AT&T. First responders using FirstNet continue to receive always-on priority and preemption across all of the carrier’s commercial spectrum bands in addition to the dedicated Band 14 public-safety allocation.
The rapid integration reflects years of network investment. Over the past five years, AT&T has spent more on U.S. telecommunications infrastructure than any other provider, funding expansions in both wireless and fiber networks. The company continues to migrate customers to its standalone 5G core architecture and advance Open RAN initiatives, further positioning its network for future technologies and enterprise applications.
With the EchoStar spectrum now in service, AT&T states that its combination of wireless reach, fiber deployment, and service guarantees across both platforms remains unmatched in the domestic market. Customers in areas where the new mid-band spectrum is active can expect sustained improvements in speed and reliability as traffic shifts to the upgraded frequencies.
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