AT&T has signed a multi-year agreement valued at more than $3 billion with Corning to purchase fiber optic cable and components, accelerating the telecom giant’s push to expand its high-speed network across the United States.
The deal comes as internet usage continues to surge, driven by streaming services, cloud computing, connected devices, and the growing demands of artificial intelligence applications. Corning shares rose 3.3% in premarket trading following the announcement.
Household Data Consumption Has Skyrocketed
AT&T reports that the average household using its fiber service now consumes over 1 terabyte of data per month—roughly five times the amount recorded in 2016. The company anticipates this trend will continue as consumers and businesses increasingly rely on bandwidth-intensive services.
Video streaming and video calls have already contributed to rising network traffic, while cloud computing, connected devices, and AI applications are adding another layer of demand. Fiber networks are critical because they can move large volumes of data at high speeds while offering the capacity and reliability required by modern broadband services.
AT&T Targets 60 Million Fiber Locations by 2030
The Corning agreement supports AT&T’s goal of reaching 60 million fiber locations by the end of 2030. The company has been expanding its footprint through both new construction and strategic acquisitions.
AT&T’s purchase of Lumen Technologies’ mass-market fiber business for $5.75 billion added more than four million customer locations across 11 states. The company said the acquisition will help accelerate fiber deployment outside its traditional operating areas. As of the second quarter of 2026, AT&T’s network had reached 38.6 million consumer and business locations, putting it on track to exceed 40 million by year-end.
Fiber Investment Accelerates Across the Telecom Industry
AT&T’s agreement with Corning comes as major U.S. telecom companies increase spending on fiber infrastructure, responding to rising broadband consumption. Corning has also secured major fiber deals with other technology and telecom firms. Earlier this month, Verizon announced a multi-billion-dollar arrangement with Corning involving more than 80 million miles of high-density optical fiber between 2027 and 2032.
For AT&T, the latest agreement ensures a long-term supply of fiber and cable as it works toward its 2030 network target. With data consumption expected to keep climbing, telecom operators are increasingly treating fiber infrastructure as a core component of their future networks.
