At a rainy press conference Wednesday in Baker, AT&T celebrated a major milestone: more than 500,000 locations in Louisiana now have access to the company's high-speed internet.
“There may be a little rain, but it’s so bright for where we’re envisioning our future,” said AT&T Louisiana President David Aubrey.
In 2022, AT&T expanded its fiber internet service to 125,000 locations and now has the largest footprint in the state.
“Ensuring that more and more Louisianans have access to reliable internet service is critical for everyone, especially when it comes to education, healthcare, jobs, small businesses and so much more,” said Gov. John Bel Edwards.
Edwards said the need for internet access became more apparent during the Covid-19 pandemic, when people started attending school online, working remotely, and needing telehealth appointments. More recently, his office surveyed rural areas and asked what would entice people to stay. Internet access was the most common response.
"If you want a more profitable farm, if you want a more profitable small business, broadband is essential," the governor said.
While significant progress has been made, Edwards said, there are still families who struggle.
“If you have to drive your kid to McDonald’s to get internet to do their homework, something is wrong with that picture,” he said, adding that driving to a McDonald’s or other internet access point isn’t even an option for many rural families.
"Technology is no longer a choice, it's a necessity," said Metro Council member Chauna Banks.
A 2022 LSU survey found that about 75% of Louisianans have broadband access in their home. Gov. Edwards aims to get that to 100% by 2029, but said he feels confident it will happen sooner.
Even with broadband access, challenges remain for people who don’t know how to use the internet for essential services such as telehealth or paying utilities online, for example. AT&T is hosting training sessions at libraries and schools across Louisiana to help residents learn to access online services.
Edwards said for the internet divide to truly disappear, residents need high-speed internet, affordable broadband service, the ability to use it, and a device to use it on.
“If you don’t have those four things you might as well be on the moon,” he said.
Through the federal Affordable Connectivity Program, eligible households can receive a benefit of up to $30 a month — up to $75 on tribal lands — to reduce the cost of broadband service. In addition, the "Access from AT&T" plan can bring costs down to $0 for those households.
“Closing the digital divide is both a priority, and achievable," Aubrey said. "At AT&T we’re focused on an approach to investment that removes barriers.”