Company snapshot
| Category | Amazon CloudFront | AT&T |
|---|---|---|
| Status | active | active |
| Founded | — | — |
| Headquarters | — | — |
| Website | — | — |
| Docs | — | — |
Overview
Amazon CloudFront is a content delivery network (CDN) provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS), designed to deliver web content, APIs, and streaming media with low latency and high availability. It integrates with other AWS services like S3, EC2, and Lambda for seamless content storage and compute capabilities. CloudFront serves a wide range of users, from startups to large enterprises, particularly those already using AWS infrastructure. It supports static and dynamic content, video streaming, and edge computing through Lambda@Edge. The service is known for its global reach and integration with AWS’s security and monitoring tools.
AT&T operates a content delivery network (CDN) as part of its telecommunications portfolio, leveraging its global network infrastructure to deliver content for enterprise and media customers. The CDN focuses on video streaming, live events, and secure content delivery, utilizing AT&T’s extensive fiber and 5G networks. It serves large organizations, including broadcasters and businesses requiring high-bandwidth applications. The service integrates with AT&T’s broader connectivity offerings, such as private networking and cloud solutions. As of 2025, AT&T continues to expand its fiber footprint, aiming to reach over 50 million locations by 2029.
Network & Architecture
CloudFront operates over 600 points of presence (PoPs) across 100+ cities in 50+ countries, with regional edge caches for improved performance. It leverages AWS’s global backbone for efficient routing and peering with major ISPs. The service has a strong presence in North America, EMEA, and APAC, with growing coverage in LATAM, India, and the Middle East. Its architecture supports tiered caching and origin shielding to reduce origin load. Limitations include less penetration in Africa and certain APAC regions compared to competitors like Cloudflare.
AT&T’s CDN operates across 38 data centers globally, with points of presence (POPs) in North America, EMEA, APAC, and LATAM. It leverages the company’s telecom backbone, including its fiber-optic and 5G networks, for low-latency content delivery. The network is optimized for video streaming and live events, with strong peering agreements with major ISPs. Its North American presence is particularly robust, though its coverage in emerging markets like Africa and parts of Asia is less extensive compared to competitors like Cloudflare or Akamai. The architecture emphasizes integration with AT&T’s private network services for enterprise clients.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Amazon CloudFront | AT&T |
|---|---|---|
waf | ✓ | ✓ |
bot_mitigation | ✗ | ✗ |
ddos | ✓ | ✓ |
rate_limit | ✗ | ✗ |
http3_quic | ✓ | ✗ |
tls13 | ✓ | ✗ |
tiered_cache | ✓ | ✗ |
origin_shield | ✓ | ✗ |
instant_purge | ✓ | ✓ |
stale_while_revalidate | ✓ | ✗ |
stale_if_error | ✓ | ✗ |
image_optimization | ✓ | ✗ |
video_vod | ✓ | ✓ |
video_live | ✓ | ✓ |
drm | ✗ | ✗ |
hls_dash_packaging | ✗ | ✗ |
websockets | ✓ | ✗ |
signed_urls | ✓ | ✗ |
edge_compute | ✓ | ✗ |
functions | ✓ | ✗ |
kv_storage | ✗ | ✗ |
api_first | ✓ | ✓ |
realtime_logs | ✓ | ✓ |
log_push | ✓ | ✗ |
terraform | ✓ | ✗ |
Legend: ✓ = Supported, ✗ = Not supported, — = Not listed
Pricing
CloudFront uses a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model with no upfront commitments. A free tier includes 1 TB of data transfer and 10 million HTTP/HTTPS requests per month for the first year. Pricing varies by region, with per-GB rates starting at $0.085 in the US and Europe, higher in regions like India ($0.109). Enterprise plans are available for high-volume users with custom pricing. Full details: https://aws.amazon.com/cloudfront/pricing/.
AT&T’s CDN pricing is enterprise-only, with custom contracts based on bandwidth, storage, and service level agreements. No public per-GB pricing is available, and there is no free tier or pay-as-you-go option. Pricing details require direct contact with AT&T’s sales team, as no dedicated pricing page is publicly accessible.
Integrations & DevEx
CloudFront supports Terraform for infrastructure-as-code deployments. SDKs are available in multiple languages (Python, Java, Node.js, etc.) for API integration. It integrates with AWS CI/CD tools like CodePipeline and offers real-time logs via CloudWatch and log push via Kinesis. Migration tools include S3 transfer acceleration and origin failover configurations. Analytics are real-time through CloudWatch dashboards, though RUM is not natively supported.
AT&T’s CDN offers an API-first interface for configuration and monitoring, with real-time log access for analytics. Documentation is available but lacks support for Terraform or other infrastructure-as-code tools. SDKs are limited, and there’s no mention of CI/CD integrations or migration tools. The focus is on enterprise workflows, with less emphasis on developer-centric features compared to providers like Fastly or Cloudflare.
When it fits
- Organizations already using AWS services (S3, EC2, Lambda) needing tight integration with a CDN.
- Applications requiring global content delivery with strong support for video streaming and edge computing.
- Enterprises needing robust security (WAF, DDoS) and customizable caching policies.
- Enterprises needing a telecom-backed CDN integrated with private networking or 5G for secure, high-bandwidth content delivery.
- Media companies requiring robust video-on-demand and live streaming with global reach and DDoS protection.
- Organizations already using AT&T’s connectivity services, seeking seamless CDN integration.
When it doesn’t
- Small businesses or startups looking for simpler, non-AWS-integrated solutions with lower complexity.
- Users prioritizing deep coverage in Africa or specific APAC regions where PoP density is lower.
- Budget-conscious buyers seeking predictable pricing without regional rate variations.
- Small businesses or developers looking for pay-as-you-go pricing or a free tier, as AT&T targets enterprise clients.
- Users needing advanced edge compute, image optimization, or developer-centric tools like Terraform support.
- Customers prioritizing extensive POP coverage in Africa or smaller APAC markets, where AT&T’s presence is limited.
History & Notes
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