AT&T and Corning Team Up to Engineer the Connected World with Fiber
October 6, 2026
The more than $3 billion agreement solidifies AT&T’s commitment to bring the best and fastest connection to more Americans as internet use and AI continue to drive demand
Key Takeaways:
- AT&T and Corning entered into a multi-year agreement to supply the fiber and cable AT&T needs to bring fast, reliable internet to more Americans as demand grows.
- Fiber is the gold standard for home internet. AT&T Fiber can deliver speeds 3x faster than satellite1 services and the capacity to handle how people stream, work, game, video chat, create and use AI today, with room for whatever comes next.
- AT&T’s powerful combination of fiber and wireless makes connectivity simple for customers at home, at work and on the go. Satellite will complement those networks by helping extend connectivity in roughly 2% of remote areas where fiber and wireless may not be available.
- This agreement supports the American economy by building on AT&T’s investments in critical connectivity infrastructure and its fully unionized frontline workforce, along with Corning’s extensive U.S. advanced manufacturing operations and American-made products.
What it is: AT&T and Corning Incorporated entered into a multi-year agreement valued at more than $3 billion. Corning will supply the fiber and cable AT&T needs to expand its network and bring fast, reliable internet to more Americans as AI drives growing data demand.
Why it Matters: Americans are using more data than ever. The average AT&T Fiber household now uses more than 1 terabyte each month, 5x more than in 2016. And that number is expected to keep climbing. As streaming, gaming, video calls, cloud services and AI become a bigger part of everyday life, monthly use is expected to reach 2 to 2.5 terabytes by 2030.
Why Fiber: Fiber is the only technology that can meet the growing demand for data. It can quickly and reliably carry everything from video calls and movie streaming to business applications, AI tools, live camera footage, and near real-time information. That gives families, businesses and communities the speed and capacity they need today, with room for whatever comes next.
AT&T Connects You Always and All Ways: With America’s largest wireless2 and fiber networks, AT&T is uniquely positioned to keep people connected across all 50 states and around the world. Fiber provides the high-capacity foundation connecting homes, businesses and communities, while wireless keeps people connected as they move through their day. Satellite complements those networks by extending connectivity to remote, hard-to-reach areas. Together, these technologies help create the seamless connectivity experience customers increasingly expect.
Deal to Connect America: This deal with Corning helps AT&T deliver on its commitment to bring fast, reliable internet to 60 million Americans by the end of 2030. This means more access to the connectivity they need today, tomorrow, and for generations to come. Corning’s solutions help AT&T accelerate network deployment and improve installation efficiency at scale.
“Fiber remains the gold standard for superior internet connectivity, and AT&T is the nation’s leader in fiber,” said John Stankey, Chairman and CEO of AT&T. “Fiber’s speed, reliability and capacity remain unmatched for any home or business. We deeply value our long and successful relationship with Corning and look forward to continuing our work together as we expand the nation’s largest fiber network and make the long-term investments needed to keep America connected
Investing in American Infrastructure: The collaboration builds on both companies’ U.S. investments. For the 150th anniversary of the first phone call, AT&T committed more than $250 billion over five years to strengthen U.S. connectivity infrastructure.
As it celebrates its 175th anniversary, Corning continues to expand its U.S. fiber and cable manufacturing, including at North Carolina facilities that have created hundreds of jobs.
“Corning and AT&T have worked side by side for generations to connect people across this country, and this agreement is the next chapter in that partnership,” said Wendell Weeks, Chairman, CEO, and President of Corning. “By pairing our large, U.S.-based advanced manufacturing with AT&T’s network leadership, we can keep co-innovating to build the dense fiber networks that will drive the future of connectivity—while sustaining thousands of highly skilled American jobs and strengthening domestic supply chains.”
The agreement unites these investments: Corning’s U.S. workforce produces the fiber, while AT&T technicians—the industry’s largest union-represented workforce—build and maintain networks connecting homes, businesses and communities nationwide. These jobs provide American families with competitive pay, benefits, wellness programs and long-term financial security.
Together, the companies strengthen the domestic supply chain and support skilled U.S. manufacturing and network jobs.
AT&T reiterates the financial outlook and capital allocation plan provided in its second-quarter 2026 earnings release, which reflects the financial impact of this agreement and AT&T’s commitment to expand and strengthen U.S. connectivity infrastructure.
AT&T and Corning are helping more Americans connect when it matters most—at home, at work and on the go.
