Telecoms are no longer just telecoms
The lines between carriers, internet and cloud providers, and data center operators are blurring fast. After a few rocky years, the telecom industry is bouncing back – and this time, it’s thinking bigger. Everyone’s doubling down on fiber builds, AI infrastructure, and massive data networks. And AT&T’s latest move, Express Waves, fits right into that momentum.Today’s enterprises are facing an entirely new set of pressures. The rapid rise of AI, heavier reliance on the cloud, and growing cybersecurity risks mean one thing: the network is no longer just infrastructure – it’s survival.
AT&T Express Waves is designed for that reality. It gives companies a way to scale faster, tap into real-time analytics, and keep pushing forward with new data-driven innovations without the network holding them back.
With speeds of 100G or 400G per wavelength and the ability to activate service between major US metros in just 24 hours, Express Waves isn’t about incremental upgrades – it’s about meeting the insane demand that modern workloads bring.
Under the hood, this whole thing runs on Dense Wavelength-Division Multiplexing (DWDM) – that’s the tech that allows AT&T to pack a ridiculous amount of data through a single fiber line while keeping it secure and lightning-fast.
Express Waves links key high-traffic routes with pre-verified 100G and 400G capacity. | Image credit – AT&T
And it’s not just theory. In recent trials, AT&T managed to move data at 1.6 terabits per second over a single wavelength – about four times faster than the company’s current top speed. That test basically confirmed that its network is already ready for next-gen AI, cloud, and data-heavy operations that are only going to get bigger.Here’s what AT&T Express Waves brings to the table:
- High-capacity bandwidth: 100G or 400G per wavelength.
- Ultra-low latency: Built for mission-critical apps.
- Redundancy by design: Backup paths to keep connections alive even during failures.
- Private and secure: Direct fiber lines that stay off the public internet.
AT&T Express Waves is about giving customers exactly what they want—capacity, certainty, and speed—right when their business needs it. With turn-up times in as little as 24 hours on speeds of up to 400G that’s delivered over a private, redundant fiber architecture, we provide ultra-low latency and reliability at enterprise scale so teams can push AI, cloud, and edge workloads with confidence and keep momentum nationwide.
– Julie Kutchinski, vice president of wireline products, AT&T Business, October 2025
This isn’t just another AT&T product
AT&T isn’t just padding its portfolio here – Express Waves is meant to set a new baseline for how businesses connect in an era where milliseconds make or break performance.
It’s built for enterprises that move serious data and need that data to stay private and stable. If you’re dealing with large-scale AI models or sensitive analytics that can’t risk a network hiccup, this is exactly the kind of high-capacity, direct site-to-site fiber connection you’d want in place.
It’s also a competitive play. Sure, T-Mobile and Verizon both have strong fiber ambitions too, but AT&T is clearly positioning itself to lead this new wave (pun intended).
Verizon, for instance, just teamed up with Eaton Fiber to expand its fiber map, so it’s definitely not sitting still – but AT&T’s launch could nudge the others to move even faster.
Carriers are turning into ecosystems
If you zoom out, the “big three” – Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile – are all evolving into something much bigger than traditional carriers. They’re building end-to-end tech ecosystems that connect cloud, edge, AI, and enterprise operations in ways that used to be totally separate.
Business users are at the center of that transformation now, especially since this kind of infrastructure isn’t just about speed anymore – it’s about staying competitive in a world where workloads are getting heavier, smarter, and a lot more expensive to run.
