Why AT&T Express Waves is a Game-Changer for Data Centers, Hyperscalers, & AI

Let’s get right to the point: Data is now our lifeblood, and the artery connecting it — our fiber network — have never been more critical. With the introduction of AT&T Express Waves, we’re not adding another product to our portfolio; we’re establishing the foundation for how businesses, data centers, and AI will operate in a world where milliseconds matter, and scale is everything.

Fiber’s Next Act: More Than Just Faster – Smarter

Our fiber strategy has always been about more than speed. It’s about building network infrastructure that adapts to the evolving needs of customers and the tidal wave of data they generate and consume. AT&T Express Waves is the next step: a purpose-built solution that not only delivers 100G or 400G per wavelength in 24 hours¹, but also helps to ensure flexibility, security, and reliability.

AT&T is setting the pace. We’re talking about connections that can support the most complex, latency-sensitive AI workloads, hyper-scale cloud operations, and the insatiable data needs of today’s and tomorrow’s innovations.

While others advertise theoretical speeds and future promises, AT&T is already delivering industry-defining performance. Our recent 1.6 terabit-per-second single-carrier wavelength trial² shattered previous records — 4x faster than the current top speed on our network. This isn’t just a lab demo; it’s proven, live customer traffic moving at speeds others can only think about.

Connecting Data Centers Like Never Before

Here’s where things get exciting. Data centers are the digital factories of the modern world, and the links between them have to be as fast and dependable as the GPUs inside. Express Waves is the high-speed express lane capable of zipping huge volumes of data across metro areas or nationwide, with ironclad redundancy and ultra-low latency.

Imagine what this means for AI. Training models, transferring massive datasets, running real-time analytics: these tasks all demand bandwidth and performance that other network carriers just can’t deliver. With AT&T Express Waves, we’re not just keeping up; we’re enabling our customers to leap ahead.

How We’re Showing Up for Our Customers

From data center operators to global hyperscalers, businesses across the country are transforming their operations with Express Waves:

• Equinix: “We’re proud to be strengthening our global connectivity strategy by upgrading our Equinix Fabric® backbone to 400G Wavelength services — made possible through close collaboration with AT&T and other key partners. AT&T’s unique route offerings play a pivotal role in this initiative, delivering direct, low-latency access that enhances reach, reliability, and resilience for our customers. This upgrade reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering high-performance infrastructure that supports our evolving customer needs from AI inferencing to cloud services.” – Bryn Norton, Vice President of Global Technical Sales at Equinix

A New Era for Innovation

Unlike providers who route traffic over shared or public infrastructure, AT&T Express Waves gives you a private, highly secure lane for your data, helping to ensure your information is protected and your performance uncompromised. At AT&T, we know our customers aren’t content to follow; they want to lead. With Express Waves, we’re giving them the tools to do just that. Whether it’s a financial institution demanding real-time transactions, a healthcare provider relying on highly secure, high-speed connections for patient data, or an AI startup pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, we’re in their corner.

We’re not just providing fiber – we’re laying the groundwork for tomorrow’s breakthroughs. And if you know me, you know I’m excited to see how our customers will use it to shape the future.

Here’s to the next chapter: faster, smarter, and bolder than ever.