AT&T managed to deploy its U-Verse IPTV service in 11 markets during 2006, a bit short of the 15 markets the company promised to deliver. While the company surely has its plate full, what with the mega BellSouth merger closing last week, the blogosphere is up in arms about its failure to deliver on the full 15 markets promised. As xchange Magazine correctly points out, AT&T VP Jeff Weber promised the company would deliver 15 markets as recently as three weeks ago. Weber told xchange at that time: "We're targeting 15 markets this year and are planning to grow that footprint as quickly as we can." During the week of December 20th, the service provider deployed U-Verse in San Jose and San Francisco. It also changed its 2006 goal to 11 markets. Last Wednesday, it added Hartford, New Haven and Stamford, Connecticut. Thursday morning it added service in Indiana: Muncie, Indianapolis, Bloomington and Anderson, which brought the new 11 market goal to fruition.
AT&T said it was continuing to fine tune and update its network, while enhancing its IPTV software, but it remains "on-track." The big hairy goal of passing 19 million homes with U-Verse by the end of 2008 still looms. But 11/15 markets is somewhat arbitrary to the success of U-Verse. Best to get it right the first time.
For more on AT&T's scaled back 2006 goals:
- see this article from xchange