AT&T's role in remote robotic procedures could save lives

A company called Sovato is working to change this by enabling remote robotic surgery. Essentially, they have built a platform that allows a surgeon in one city to operate on a patient in another using a robotic system. This is a huge deal because it means a specialist's skills are no longer limited by where they are physically standing. In late 2025, Sovato raised 41 million dollars in new funding to help bring this technology to more hospitals, proving that there is a lot of confidence in this new way of providing care.

The main challenge for remote surgery has always been the network. For a doctor to operate safely from far away, the connection between their controls and the robot must be flawless. Even a brief delay or hiccup could put a patient at risk. That's where AT&T Business comes in, providing a surgical-grade network with a high-speed connection built specifically for critical medical procedures.

How does this work?

To make this work, AT&T uses a variety of advanced tools. One of the main ones is called Wavelength Long-Haul networking, which creates a direct, high-speed data highway between different locations. This ensures that the video the doctor sees is crystal clear and that the robot's movements are instant and smooth.

AT&T is also testing other ways to keep these robots connected, including private 5G networks and even low-Earth orbit satellites for the most remote areas.

This partnership is also moving much faster than many expected. In one recent case, AT&T was able to install a dedicated fiber network for a hospital two months ahead of schedule.

Beyond just the hardware, AT&T and Sovato also helped write the official technical rules for remote surgery that were published in a major medical journal in mid-2025. These rules set the bar for how reliable and secure a network must be before a remote operation can take place.

The future is now

AT&T's effort is all about making sure your location doesn't decide whether you can receive life-saving surgery. AT&T and Sovato are creating a future where top surgeons can reach patients anywhere, no matter how far. This isn't just a technological feat – it's a practical answer to a real and growing problem in healthcare.