Re:$19 billion out of how much? (Score 2, Informative)

AT&T's annual income was $118 billion in 2007. If they're only investing $19 billion over the next 2 years until 2010, that's 8% of their income they spend on maintaining and upgrading their network. And they make some pretty huge profits, even after all of their expenses ($11 billion in 2007) If they're only spending 8% of their money on network maintenance and upgrades, and raking in huge profits, while their network fails to keep up with demand (which, contrary to alarmist reports is multiplying more slowly than it used to), then they need to spend more than 8%! Doing otherwise, when you run an essential utility, ought to be considered criminal negligence imho.

You are misstating revenue as income (which generally means net-profits). AT&T had $118 billion in revenue in 2007 and $11 billion in profits. So $19 billion would be 172% of their profits, a little more than the 8% you calculate.