AT&T awaits FCC approval to run trials for the future of U.S. telecommunications

A rural Alabama town and a suburban area of Florida may be on the cutting edge of a historic shift away from traditional circuit-switched phone service, if AT&T wins approval to run trials in those areas. The carrier plans to test a transition from its circuit-switched TDM phone network to wireless and Internet Protocol services in Carbon Hill, Alabama, and West Delray Beach, Florida. It will need FCC approval to begin the trials.

AT&T* is proposing to select the West Delray Beach area of Florida to work to ensure that Florida customers, and ultimately consumers and businesses across the country, can benefit from the latest communications technologies. Today, the company announced the proposed selection of the West Delray Beach area of Florida as one of two locations nationwide for a multi-year technology trial to be overseen by the Federal Communications Commission. This pilot program will shape AT&T’s efforts to develop new products and processes in the West Delray Beach community, and nationally. The announcement is in response to a request by the FCC to companies to submit proposals to conduct trials where connections and services would be rolled out and offered to customers.