AT&T hopes its AirGig technology for piggybacking high-speed data links on power lines will arrive in 2021, potentially improving broadband in areas where it's not economical to lay fiber-optic cables.
AirGig doesn't connect directly to houses. Instead, it sends data hopping along from power pole to power pole so it can traverse relatively long distances.
For that final communication link to a house, AT&T will use more conventional wireless equipment like 5G mobile networks.
"We're aiming to be ready to deploy it commercially in the 2021 timeframe," said Mark Evans, a director on AT&T's AirGig team, at the AT&T Spark event Monday in San Francisco.
The timing could change, he cautioned: "It could be things go swimmingly and we could move that date in."
AirGig has the potential to help solve a thorny problem for the tech industry: making sure it's not just people in densely populated areas like New York City and San Francisco who get the latest services.
Rural broadband is often an oxymoron, denying people outside cities and denser suburbs access to next-gen services in video streaming, e-commerce and online learning. AirGig won't reach everywhere, but it could help.