Technology
Austin Broadband Providers Unveil Fiber and Wireless Expansion Plans Through 2028
Local network operators detail fiber upgrades and wireless expansions scheduled through 2028.
How we reported this
Austin broadband operators filed updated product roadmaps this week that list specific fiber and wireless launches beginning in the fourth quarter of 2026.
The filings arrive as downtown employment density climbs and new data centers open along the eastern edge of the city. Faster links matter now because local firms run AI training clusters that need steady multi-gigabit uploads, while residents in older housing stock still rely on legacy cable that caps at 1 Gbps.
Neighborhood Rollouts
AT&T Fiber crews will activate 2 Gbps symmetrical service along East Cesar Chavez Street by December, then extend the same tier into the Mueller neighborhood by March 2027. Google Fiber plans a parallel build on South Lamar Boulevard starting January, offering a new 5 Gbps tier aimed at small studios in the Bouldin Creek area. Both companies filed the timelines with the city’s Office of Telecommunications and Regulatory Affairs last month.
City records show 47,000 addresses remain on the waitlist for gigabit fiber inside the 2015 annexation zones. The new schedules target 12,000 of those addresses in the first phase.
Speed and Pricing Data
Current average download speed across Austin measured 412 Mbps in the most recent FCC filing, while the median monthly bill for residential service stood at $68. The 2026 roadmaps project 40 percent of downtown census blocks reaching 4 Gbps or higher by the end of 2027. Installation fees for the new tiers drop to zero for customers who sign 12-month contracts before October 31.
Business customers on East Sixth Street can pre-order dedicated 10 Gbps circuits beginning next February at a listed rate of $450 per month. The same product will become available to residential addresses inside the new Mueller footprint by summer 2028.
Residents can check address eligibility on provider portals starting August 1 and schedule installation windows through the city’s 3-1-1 system. Early sign-ups receive a one-time $100 bill credit applied after the first 90 days of service.