AT&T has announced plans to invest $1 billion in 2008 to continue the expansion of AT&T’s network and portfolio of solutions for multinational companies with operations and applications in key markets worldwide.

The 2008 programme is being driven by demand for Internet Protocol (IP) networks and services as companies deal with the explosive surge in data, voice and video traffic made possible by the proliferation of high speed networks and devices worldwide.  

Responding to this demand, AT&T is accelerating its efforts to: 1) extend its global network reach and capacity; 2) globalise its portfolio of business services and 3) embed the latest utility computing and other technologies in the network so that companies can deliver real-time applications to their customers, suppliers and partners.  

In 2008, AT&T plans to invest in new subsea fiber optic cable capacity to Japan and Asia, new core MPLS routers in Europe, Asia and the U.S.; new network-to-network connections to extend network reach into high growth markets in Asia Pacific (India, Australia); enhanced Ethernet network capabilities with the rollout of a global virtual private local area network solution; new application performance management tools within AT&T’s   AT&T BusinessDirect; and integrating and developing unified communications capabilities. 

"Companies worldwide are responding to the exploding need to deliver voice, data and video in real time to their end-users, no matter where they are, no matter what the device,” said Ron Spears, group president, AT&T Global Business Services.  “It is vital that we continue to invest in those geographies and services to meet this demand so our customers can connect their operations, partners and suppliers.”