AT&T is offering a new free service called Internet Backup for its fiber internet customers. This service will automatically switch users to AT&T’s wireless network if their fiber connection goes down. To use Internet Backup, customers need to have both AT&T fiber internet and an eligible AT&T unlimited mobile plan.
They also need to have AT&T’s latest BGW320 gateway router. AT&T says that its fiber service has over 99.9% reliability. However, Internet Backup will ensure customers stay connected during the rare times when there is a fiber outage.
When AT&T pushes out an update to enable Internet Backup on the gateway, customers will get a notification.
Internet Backup for fiber reliability
They can then turn on the feature using the Smart Home Manager app.
If the fiber connection goes out, Internet Backup will seamlessly switch the user’s internet to AT&T’s wireless network. It will switch back once the fiber is restored. Customers won’t need to do anything or worry about using up their mobile data.
This could be a way for AT&T to attract more wireless subscribers in areas where it offers fiber. Currently, about 40% of AT&T fiber households also have AT&T wireless plans. AT&T recently reported that it has over 9 million fiber internet customers and 72.3 million wireless subscribers.
In the last quarter, it added 226,000 new fiber customers and 403,000 new mobile customers.
