AT&T, Cogent Strike Interconnection Deal

AT&T says it has reached a long-term interconnection agreement with Cogent for their respective IP networks.

AT&T is trying to get its proposed merger with DirecTV through the FCC and Justice Department. Interconnection has been an issue the FCC has been particularly concerned with and the subject of talks between AT&T and FCC about potential deal conditions.

Cogent has been pushing the FCC to make sure that preventing congestion and interconnection points is a condition on the deal.

“We ensure our customers have the best network experience possible,” said Roman Pacewicz, senior VP of marketing & global strategy for AT&T Business Solutions, in announcing the deal. “With the added capacity and new interconnection locations, customers can continue to depend on AT&T to deliver high performance speeds to meet their needs.”

“Both Cogent and AT&T’s customers will benefit from this agreement for years to come,” said Dave Schaeffer, chief executive officer for Cogent. “We are putting customer needs at the forefront by enabling an expanded, secure and resilient interconnection environment.”

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.