AT&T used a fireside chat at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference on September 9, 2026 to detail a long‑term growth plan centered on fiber deployment and convergence. The company said it expects to exceed 30 million fiber locations by 2030 and to complete its fiber build‑out by the latter part of the decade, positioning itself as a metropolitan‑scale fiber provider with a nationwide wireless network.
Financial guidance includes a double‑digit compound annual growth rate for earnings per share through 2028 and mid‑ to high‑single‑digit growth in advanced‑connectivity EBITDA over the same horizon. AT&T reported a convergence rate of roughly 45 %, up five percentage points over two years, and is targeting a net‑debt‑to‑adjusted‑EBITDA ratio of about 2.5 ×. The company identified $6 billion of legacy cost reductions and noted that business‑advanced‑connectivity service revenue returned to low‑single‑digit growth last quarter.
The firm highlighted that Lumen’s fiber assets generate roughly 50 % more gross adds on converged customers than under the prior owner. An acquisition of EchoStar spectrum, including 600 MHz of mid‑ and low‑band spectrum, is intended to bolster low‑latency applications, fixed‑wireless clustering and edge‑out fiber opportunities. Stankey also described AT&T’s copper network as “one of the largest copper mines in the United States,” with plans to monetize copper assets to offset costs of de‑commissioning legacy copper, central offices and mainframes.
AT&T reported its strongest new‑account growth in more than three years during the prior quarter. The CEO emphasized a household‑centric strategy, indicating willingness to discount broadband or wireless selectively to retain customers and improve overall household value. He concluded that by decade’s end the company will operate as a metropolitan fiber provider backed by a “kickass” nationwide wireless network.
