Wheeler, Pai Disagree About Lessons From AT&T Capital Spending

While FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler cited network investment by AT&T as a sign the 2015 net neutrality order is not harming capital spending, a telecom carrier official said a big chunk of AT&T’s $22 billion in spending this year is outside the U.S. Wheeler cited AT&T’s capital expenditures Monday in a speech (see 1603210042). AT&T described its capital improvement plans in more depth Feb. 21. AT&T said in a news release that part of the spending is targeted to Mexico, where the company plans to “integrate more than 6,000 kilometers of Mexico fiber currently supporting the wireless operations into the AT&T wireline network; enhance these assets by investing in more AT&T global network nodes and add hundreds of sellers focused on selling business solutions in Mexico.” In a speech last month at the Heritage Foundation, Commissioner Ajit Pai said AT&T significantly increased its investments in Mexico, due in part to the net neutrality order and the reclassification of broadband as a Communications Act Title II service (see 1602260053). AT&T and the FCC didn't comment.