New AT&T talks about business focus

While integration is a top priority, the carrier also hopes to lead in the wireless and business markets.

NEW YORK - The new AT&T detailed plans last week for how it is bringing together its many telecom assets and what that will mean for customers.

The carrier covered a lot of ground at its first analyst conference since the closure of SBC's acquisition of the old AT&T in November. The company launched new wireless services geared toward business customers, talked about how it's bringing together legacy SBC and legacy AT&T systems and networks, and its overall goals.

"The new AT&T has huge strengths," said Edward Whitacre, chairman and CEO. "We have a good integration plan and we're off to a strong start [implementing] that plan."

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NEW YORK - The new AT&T detailed plans last week for how it is bringing together its many telecom assets and what that will mean for customers.

The carrier covered a lot of ground at its first analyst conference since the closure of SBC's acquisition of the old AT&T in November. The company launched new wireless services geared toward business customers, talked about how it's bringing together legacy SBC and legacy AT&T systems and networks, and its overall goals.

"The new AT&T has huge strengths," said Edward Whitacre, chairman and CEO. "We have a good integration plan and we're off to a strong start [implementing] that plan."

Integration that's already under way includes moving to AT&T's billing platform and migrating SBC ATM and frame relay customers to AT&T's networks. The carrier also said it has completed a sales outreach program through which all business customers have been contacted by their current sales teams.

While integration is vital to AT&T's success, Whitacre said the company had four key priorities: leading in wireless, leading in business markets, growing broadband and next-generation IP services, and cutting costs.

Cingular, a joint venture between AT&T and BellSouth, is the largest wireless service provider in the United States. The carrier hopes to retain that position by offering business customers bundles that include AT&T-branded wireless and wireline services. AT&T is calling these packages Built for Business.

Details about these service bundles will not be available until mid-year, but they will include "what business users expect," says Pat Traynor, vice president of mobility solutions.

"We're not only growing our portfolio with wireless but we are offering customers incentives to choose AT&T because [the new offerings] are integrated with what services customers are using today," she says.

"AT&T is absolutely on the right track," says Brownlee Thomas, a principal analyst at Forrester Research. She expects the service bundles to include fixed mobile, domestic and international wireless, along with landline voice and data services.

"And because wireless isn't new to AT&T, the company is keenly aware of its opportunities," Thomas says. AT&T sold AT&T Wireless to Cingular in 2004.

One benefit customers can expect is to have their wireless dollars spent count toward their total annual revenue commitment.

This could prove more economical, because revenue commitments are used by most carriers to determine the depth of offered discounts.

Verizon says as of last month, it too has started this practice. Sprint says in general it will allow its business customers to apply their wireless dollars spent to their total annual revenue commitment.

AT&T also announced a new tool, called Multi-Carrier Solution, designed to let customers to more easily select the best wireless plan available for their company. The tool is based on Traq's wireless expense management products. AT&T is providing its Multi-Carrier Solution customers with a designated account representative who will work on their behalf when dealing with their wireless service providers, Traynor says.