As is common in the industry, we use network management practices and other tools to manage network resources for the benefit of all of our broadband customers, especially during periods when network demand exceeds available network resources (also known as “contention-congestion' or 'congestion”). Temporary congestion may occur when a large number of customers in a concentrated area access the network at the same time or when some customers consume a very large amount of network capacity during busy periods, such as at stadium events, during peak usage times, or during planned network maintenance.ĪT&T invests billions of dollars annually to address potential congestion in its broadband networks.

In addition, like the other networks that make up the internet, the AT&T network is a shared network, which means that the transmission links and other network resources used to provide broadband services are shared among AT&T’s subscribers, as well as among the various services offered by AT&T. AT&T does not guarantee that it will establish or expand the connections between its network and other networks, or that subscribers will be able to upload data to or download data from internet end points connected to other networks at any particular speed. If AT&T is unable to reach agreement on terms of interconnection or network expansion with these other networks, it could affect customers’ ability to upload or download data to internet endpoints connected to those networks. Consistent with its agreements with those other networks and its long-standing practice, AT&T may establish or expand the connections between its network and other networks, but only on mutually agreeable terms. The links AT&T and other networks use to exchange such traffic may become congested at times. To that end, AT&T has entered into commercially negotiated agreements to exchange traffic with those networks (and the networks with which those networks are connected) on mutually agreeable terms. Because the internet consists of multiple interconnected networks and most internet end points (e.g., websites and other content providers) are not directly connected to the AT&T network, AT&T must connect to and exchange traffic with other networks to provide its subscribers the capability of uploading data to or downloading data from internet end points that are connected to those networks. How does AT&T manage congestion with respect to its mass market broadband internet access services?ĪT&T strives to provide a high-quality internet experience for all of our customers.

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