The gigabit powerline-riding tech gets a rural workout.

Dan Jones, Mobile Editor

December 13, 2017

1 Min Read
Project AirGig Goes Down to Georgia

The devil said: "Son, I'm the fastest download in the land," and when he proved it to us, well, we let him join the band.*

Yessiree, AT&T says it is now taking its AirGig powerline technology down to rural Georgia for technology tests with the regional power company that promise to deliver over 1 Gbit/s via existing power lines.

The "Project AirGig" technology wirelessly rides alongside medium-voltage power lines and uses newly designed "low-cost" plastic antennas to deliver the service. AT&T says that -- like high-band 5G -- it uses millimeter waves to deliver gigabit speeds. (See AT&T Claims 'Breakthrough' With New Power Line Delivery Tech for 4G, 5G.)

AT&T already has another trial underway with an unnamed electrical provider in an undisclosed location outside the US. (See AT&T Looks to Trials for AirGig.)

"Project AirGig is part of our ongoing effort to accelerate Internet connections to a gig or more through both wired and wireless solutions,” said Andre Fuetsch, president of AT&T Labs and CTO, said in a press release. "But it also stands alone as a radically innovative solution to bridge the global digital divide. If these trials and our continued research and development turn out the way we intend, we'll take a big step toward bringing hyper-fast connectivity to people everywhere."

AT&T isn't talking about a commercial timeline for AirGig yet. Ma Bell, however, is looking to undertake more trials, in hopes that this project becomes a way to deliver broadband to consumers without building expensive new towers and other infrastructure.

— Dan Jones, Mobile Editor, Light Reading

*With apologies to Charlie Daniels and Camper Van Beethoven.

About the Author(s)

Dan Jones

Mobile Editor

Dan is to hats what Will.I.Am is to ridiculous eyewear. Fedora, trilby, tam-o-shanter -- all have graced the Jones pate during his career as the go-to purveyor of mobile essentials.

But hey, Dan is so much more than 4G maps and state-of-the-art headgear. Before joining the Light Reading team in 2002 he was an award-winning cult hit on Broadway (with four 'Toni' awards, two 'Emma' gongs and a 'Brian' to his name) with his one-man show, "Dan Sings the Show Tunes."

His perfectly crafted blogs, falling under the "Jonestown" banner, have been compared to the works of Chekhov. But only by Dan.

He lives in Brooklyn with cats.

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