Discussions at the NXTcomm trade show point to an increasing likelihood that AT&T brings its fiber-to-the-node (FTTN) architecture to the former BellSouth territory rather than grow the fiber-to-the-curb (FTTC) technology already deployed there, according to Morgan Keegan analyst Simon Leopold.

“We left the show more convinced that, in spite of proponents of the former BellSouth’s ‘IPTV’ initiative which included an FTTC approach, the FTTN-based approach and network architecture will likely be adopted across AT&T’s Southeast territory,” Leopold wrote in a note today, adding that the carrier’s U-Verse video service could be available in Georgia before the end of the year.

Earlier this month, AT&T said it would invest $500 million over the next several years on fiber upgrades to its Georgia network. The announcement followed the recent passage of a state law allowing providers such as AT&T to obtain statewide franchises for video services rather than separate local franchises. That law takes effect on July 1, but the state will not begin offering statewide franchises until Jan. 1, 2008.

This week an AT&T spokesman told the Chattanooga Times that the company was “evaluating…business plans for competition in Georgia.”

The existing suppliers of AT&T’s FTTN network, especially Alcatel-Lucent, stand to benefit from Southeastern deployment of FTTN, while vendors supplying BellSouth’s FTTC network--including Tellabs and Ericsson-owned Redback Networks--could stand to lose some opportunities.

At an investor conference in February, Tellabs chief financial officer Tim Wiggins said AT&T was “very interested” in Tellabs’ 1150 multiservice access system, a platform built upon the FTTC gear deployed by BellSouth.