Wireless backhaul presents opportunity, challenge for telcos

Wireless backhaul fiberHumongous wireless demand is creating a huge business opportunity for the nation's top wireline operators, including AT&T (NYSE: T), CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL), Windstream (Nasdaq: WIN) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ), to provide fiber-to-the-tower (FTTT) service to backhaul wireless traffic. Demand for wireless backhaul is also creating a challenge because it's growing at a speed that could outpace the rollout of the networks. Overall, though, that's a good problem to have, and carriers are installing glass faster than a volcano spewing lava. FierceTelecom is using the first segment of its four-part series to examine how the top four ILECs are dealing with this wireless backhaul opportunity, including how wireline incumbents like Verizon and AT&T deal with their own wireless arms while non-wireless providers like CenturyLink and Windstream try to jump in and get new business. Read the full story here.