AT&T made a significant investment in both serving Georgia customers and employing more Georgians in 2013 through the communication company’s Project Velocity IP. “This project is a three-year investment plan to expand and enhance IP broadband networks,” explains AT&T Media Relations Manager Ann L. Elsas.  

By the numbers, this means that:

• More than $675 million was invested in the first half of 2013 in their wireless and wired networks in Georgia on top of the nearly $3.9 billion that was put toward expanding their Georgia wireless and wired networks from 2010 through 2012.
• Nearly 11,650 AT&T business customers located in more than 400 multi-tenant office buildings in Georgia received access to the internet and cloud-based resources on their fiber network.
• 12,400 customers utilized AT&T’s advanced wired IP broadband connections for consumers, including AT&T U-verse services.

But the most important number of all? The number of people AT&T employs, thanks to Project Velocity IP. “To support AT&T's infrastructure investment, the company hired more than 2,000 people in Georgia in 2013, including more than 1,300 new jobs. Now with more than 21,000 employees in Georgia, AT&T continues to create new investmenst and jobs in the state in 2013,” Elsas says.

And Georgia’s capital and largest city, Atlanta, joined an elite group of global cities in August, 2013, that are part of the AT&T Foundry program, which is dedicated to advancing new consumer technologies. The $3 million AT&T Foundry opened in Midtown on Georgia Tech's Technology Square campus. Elsas says, “Teams at the Foundry develop and test products, apps and services to get them to market faster. The AT&T Foundry in Atlanta's focus is on AT&T's Digital Life home security and automation service, as well as U-Verse, mobile technologies, connected cars and devices.”

Teaming up with the bright minds at Georgia Tech and investing in having a bigger presence in our state was a smart move in light of the recent accolades Georgia has received, including:

• #1 for workforce
• #5 for access to capital
• #8 for education 

(Source: CNBC) 

AT&T has their eye on that education stat, with a recent generous gift to Georgia Tech for the first professional Online Master of Science degree in computer science. This degree can be earned completely through the MOOC format, or massive open online course. Elsas explains, “The pilot program will begin in 2014 for admitted students. AT&T will benefit from the program by training existing employees and identifying potential employees.”