AT & amp; T Inc. is a holding company of American multinational conglomerates headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the largest telecommunications company in the world, the second largest mobile phone service provider, and the largest fixed line provider in the United States.
AT & T started its history as Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, a subsidiary of Bell Telephone Company, founded by Alexander Graham Bell in 1880. Bell Telephone Company evolved into the American Telephone and Telegraph Company in 1885, later renamed AT & T Corporation. Antitrust lawsuit 1982 United States v. AT & amp; T resulted in the divestment of a subsidiary company of AT & amp; T Corporation ("Ma Bell") or Regional Bell Operating Company ("Baby Bell"), produces several independent companies including Southwestern Bell Corporation; the latter changed its name to SBC Communications Inc. in 1995. In 2005, SBC purchased its parent company at AT & amp; T Corporation and take its branding, with a joint entity naming itself AT & amp; T Inc. and using the iconic logo and stock of the trading symbol. In 2006, AT & amp; T Inc. acquired BellSouth, the last independent Baby Bell company, made their previous efforts Cingular Wireless (which had acquired AT & T Wireless in 2004) is wholly owned and rebranding as AT & amp; T Mobility.
AT & amp; T currently rearranges most of the Bell Systems before, and includes ten of the original 22 Bell Operating Companies along with the original remote division.
Video AT&T
History
Origin and growth (1882-1981)
AT & T was able to trace its origins back to the Bell Telephone Company founded by Alexander Graham Bell after patenting his phone. One of the subsidiaries was American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT & amp; T), founded in 1885, which acquired the Bell Company on December 31, 1899, for legal reasons, leaving AT & T as the main company. AT & T established a network of subsidiaries in the United States and Canada that monopolized official government telephone services, formalized by Kingsbury Commitment, throughout most of the twentieth century. This monopoly is known as the Bell System, and during this period, AT & amp; T is also known as Ma Bell nickname. For a period of time, the former AT & amp; T is the largest telephone company in the world.
In 1982, US regulators broke AT & T's monopoly, requiring AT & T to divest its regional subsidiaries and turn them into individual companies. These new companies are known as Regional Bell Operating Companies, or more informally, Baby Bells. AT & T continues to operate long distance services, but as a result of this breakup, it faces competition from new competitors like MCI and Sprint.
Southwestern Bell is one of the companies created by the breakup of AT & amp; T Corp. The architect of the divestiture for Southwestern Bell is Robert G. Pope. The company immediately started a series of acquisitions. These include the acquisition of the Metromedia cellular business of 1987 and the acquisition of several cable companies in the early 1990s. In the latter half of the 1990s, the company acquired several other telecommunications companies, including several Baby Bells, while selling its cable business. During this time, the company changed its name to SBC Communications. In 1998, the company was in the top 15 position of Fortune 500, and in 1999 the company became part of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (lasting until 2015).
In 2005, SBC bought AT & amp; T for $ 16 billion. After this purchase, SBC adopted the name and brand AT & amp; T is more famous, with AT & amp; The original T Corp still exists as a longshore subsidiary of the joining company. AT & amp; T currently claims the original history of AT & T (T 1885) as his own, even though his company structure originated only from 1983. It also retains the history of pre-2005 SBC stock prices, and all previous regulatory submissions until 2005 were for Southwestern Bell/SBC , not AT & T Corp
In September 2013, AT & amp; T Inc. announced it will expand to Latin America through a collaboration with Carlos Slim's AmÃÆ'Â © rica MÃÆ'³vil. In December 2013, AT & amp; T announced plans to sell its Connecticut wireline operations to Stronford-based Frontier Communications.
Recent developments (2014-present)
AT & amp; T bought the Mexican operator Iusacell by the end of 2014, and two months later bought the wireless business of Mexico NII Holdings, combining the two companies to make AT & T Mexico.
In July 2015, AT & amp; T buys DirecTV for $ 48.5 billion, or $ 67.1 billion including assumed debt, depending on certain conditions. AT & T then announced plans to unify the existing U-verse internet network and the IPTV brand with DirecTV, to create AT & Entertainment.
In an effort to increase media ownership, on October 22, 2016, AT & T announced an agreement to buy Time Warner for $ 108.7 billion.
AT & amp; T also has about 2% stake in Canadian dominance company Lionsgate.
On July 13, 2017, it was reported that AT & T will introduce a cloud-based DVR streaming service as part of its efforts to create an integrated platform on DirecTV and its DirecTV Now streaming service, with U-verses added soon.
On September 12, 2017, it was reported that AT & T plans to launch a new cable TV service for over-the-top delivery over its broadband network or a competitor next year.
On November 20, 2017, Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim filed a lawsuit to the US Department of Justice's Antitrust Department to block the merger with Time Warner, arguing "it would undermine competition, result in higher billing for consumers and less innovation." In order for AT & T to be able to fully acquire Time Warner, the Justice Department stated that the company must divest either DirecTV or the Turner Broadcasting System.
On December 15, 2017, after a failed completion attempt with the Justice Department, some analysts believe the merger deal has failed. However, this can not be confirmed until an antitrust trial is completed in early April 2018, or one company announces a merger failure. However, on December 22, 2017, the two companies extended the merger until June 21, 2018 in a big vote of confidence.
In 2017, AT & amp; T is the largest telecommunication company in the world. AT & amp; T is also the second largest mobile phone service provider and the largest fixed line provider in the United States.
On March 7, 2018, the company is ready to sell the Latin American DirecTV minority to the public creating a new parent company for assets named Vrio Corp. However, on April 18, 2018, just a day before Vrio's public debut, AT & amp; T cancel IPO due to market conditions.
Maps AT&T
Company ground operations
Of the twenty-four companies that are part of the Bell System, ten are part of AT & amp; T current:
- BellSouth Telecommunications (formerly known as Southern Bell, including former South Central Bell)
- Illinois Bell
- Indiana Bell
- Michigan Bell
- Ohio Bell
- Pacific Bell (formerly Pacific Telephone & Telegraph)
- Nevada Bell (formerly known as Bell Telephone Company of Nevada)
- Southwestern Bell
- Wisconsin Bell (formerly Wisconsin Telephone)
Formerly operating company
The following companies have become dead or sold under the ownership of SBC/AT & amp; Q:
- Southern New England Telephone: sold to Frontier Communications in 2014
- Woodbury Telephone: merged into Southern New England Telephone on June 1, 2007.
The future of rural landlines
AT & T stated that it would declare intentions for a rural telephone connection on November 7, 2012. AT & amp; T has previously announced that it is considering the sale of its rural telephone connection, which is not connected to U-verse AT & amp; However, he also stated that he can keep his business.
AT & amp; T is not the first Baby Bell to sell rural landlines. Ameritech sold a portion of the Wisconsin line to CenturyTel in 1998; BellSouth sold several lines to MebTel in the 2000s; U S WEST sold many Bell lines to Lynch Communications and Pacific Telecom in the 1990s; Verizon sold many New England lines to FairPoint in 2008 and West Virginia operations to Frontier Communications in 2010.
On October 25, 2014, Frontier Communications took over control of AT & T's landline network in Connecticut after being approved by the state utility regulator. The deal is worth about $ 2 billion, and includes Frontier inheriting about 2,500 AT & amp; T and many AT & T buildings.
Company structure
Parent company and subsidiary
AT & amp; T Inc. has retained the parent company it has acquired over the years thus generating the following corporate structure:
- AT & amp; T Inc., the publicly traded holding company
- AT & amp; T Arkansas, AT & amp; T Kansas, AT & amp; T Missouri, AT & amp; T Oklahoma, AT & amp; T Southwest, AT & amp; T Texas
- AT & amp; T Teleholdings Inc., AT & amp; T East, AT & amp; T Midwest, AT & amp; T West
- AT & amp; T Illinois
- AT & amp; T Indiana
- AT & amp; T Michigan
- AT & amp; T Ohio
- AT & amp; T Wisconsin
- AT & amp; T California
- AT & amp; T Nevada
- AT & T Corp., acquired 2005
- AT & amp; T Alascom d/b/a AT & amp; T Alaska
- AT & amp; T South
- AT & amp; T Alabama, AT & amp; T Florida, AT & amp; T Georgia, AT & amp; T Louisiana, AT & amp; T Kentucky, AT & amp; T Mississippi, AT & amp; T North Carolina, AT & amp; T South Carolina, AT & amp; T Southeast, AT & amp; T Tennessee
- AT & amp; T Mobility
- Cricket Wireless
- AT & amp; T Mexico
- DirecTV
Facilities and territories
The company is headquartered in Whitacre Tower in downtown Dallas, Texas. On June 27, 2008, AT & T announced that it would move its corporate headquarters from downtown San Antonio to One AT & amp; T Plaza in downtown Dallas. The company says it is moving to gain better access to its customers and operations worldwide, and to key technology partners, suppliers, innovations and human resources needed as it continues to grow, domestically and internationally. AT & amp; T Inc. previously moved his company headquarters to San Antonio from St. Louis. Louis, Missouri, in 1992, when it was then named Southwestern Bell Corporation. Telecom's Operational Group of companies, which serves residential and regional business customers in 22 US states, remains in San Antonio. Atlanta, Georgia, continues to be the headquarters for AT & amp; T Mobility, with key offices in Redmond, Washington, the former home of AT & T Wireless. Bedminster, New Jersey, is the headquarters for the company's Global Business Services group and AT & amp; T Labs. St. Louis continues as a home for the company's Directory operations, AT & T Ad Solutions.
AT & T offers services in multiple locations across Asia Pacific; Its regional headquarters are located in Hong Kong. The company is also active in Mexico, and announced on November 7, 2014, that Mexican operator Iusacell was acquired by AT & amp; T. This acquisition was approved in January 2015. On April 30, 2015, AT & T received Nextel Mexico wireless operations from NII Holdings (now AT & T Mexico).
Corporate governance
AT & amp; The current board of directors as of November 2016:
Current management in August 2017 includes:
- Randall L. Stephenson - chief executive officer (CEO)
- William A. Blase, Jr. - senior vice president of human resources
- John J. Stephens - senior executive vice president and chief financial officer (CFO)
- David S. Huntley - senior executive vice president and chief compliance officer
- Lori Lee - CEO of AT & amp; T International Inc.
- David R. McAtee II - senior executive vice president and general counsel
- Brian Lesser - CEO AT & amp; Ad T & amp; Analytics
- Robert W. Quinn Jr. - senior executive vice president of external and legislative affairs
- John Donovan - CEO AT & amp; T Communications Inc.
- John Stankey - senior executive vice president, AT & amp; T-Time Warner Merger Integration Planning
Political engagement
According to the Responsive Political Center, AT & amp; T is the second largest donor to the US political campaign, and the largest US donor company, having contributed more than $ 47.7 million since 1990, 56% of who went to the Republican Party and 44% of who went to Democrats. For example, in 2005, AT & T was among 53 entities that contributed a maximum of $ 250,000 to the second inauguration of President George W. Bush. Bill Leahy, representing AT & amp; T, sitting on the Board of the Private Company of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). ALEC is a non-profit organization of conservative state legislators and private sector representatives who develop and share state-level legislation models for distribution among state governments in the United States.
During the period 1998 to 2010, the company spun US $ 130 million to lobby in the United States. The main political issue for AT & T is the question of which business wins the right to profit by providing broadband internet access in the United States. The company has also lobbied to support some federal bills. AT & amp; T supports the Federal Communications Commission Reform Process Act 2013 (H.R. 3675; 113th Congress), a bill that will make a number of amendments to procedures by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in its regulatory process. The FCC must act in a more transparent manner as a result of this bill, forced to accept public input on the rules. AT & T's Federal Executive Vice President, Tim McKone, said that this "much-needed institutional reform" would help to arm the agency with tools to offset the speed of the internet on the market today. This will also ensure the outdated regulatory practices for competitive markets are currently placed correctly in the history trash bin. "
In May 2018, reports emerged that AT & T made 12 monthly payments between January and December 2017 to Essential Consultants, a company founded by Donald Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen for a total of $ 600,000. Although an initial report on May 8 mentions only four monthly payments of $ 200,000, documents obtained by The Washington Post on May 10 confirm 12 payment figures, beginning three days after the President was sworn into office. AT & T confirmed the report on the same day, while a spokeswoman for AT & T said the previous day that the company had been contacted by a Special Advisors investigation led by Robert Mueller, and had provided all information requested in November and December 2017. Report from The Washington Post , as well as an additional report from Bloomberg, revealed payments were made to Cohen to "guide" relating to a $ 85 billion merger effort with Time Warner, to get information on government planned tax reforms Trump, as well as on potential changes to net neutrality policies under the new FCC. However, the FCC Chairman Ajit Pai denied Cohen asked about net neutrality on behalf of AT & amp; T.
Historical financial performance
The company's financial performance is reported to shareholders annually and issues public records. Units (except where noted) are billions of US dollars. Where performance has been restated, the latest performance statement from the annual report is used.
Criticism and controversy
Hemisphere database
The company maintains a detailed call records database of all phone calls that have passed through its network since 1987. AT & T employees work at the High Intensity Drugs Trade offices (operated by the Office of National Drug Control Policy) in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Houston so data can be quickly submitted to law enforcement agencies. Records are requested through administrative court calls, without court involvement or grand jury.
Sensor
In September 2007, AT & amp; T modifies its legal policy to certify that "AT & T may immediately suspend or suspend all or any portion of your Service, any Member ID, electronic mail address, IP address, Universal Resource Finder or domain name used by you, without notice for behavior which AT & T believe... (c) tends to damage the name or reputation of AT & T; or its parents, affiliates and subsidiaries. "On October 10, 2007, AT & amp; T has changed the terms and conditions for its Internet service to explicitly support the freedom of expression by its customers, after a protest claiming that the company has given itself the right to censor its customer transmission. Section 5.1 of the new AT & amp terms of service now reads "AT & amp; T respects freedom of expression and believes it is the basis of our free society to express a different point of view AT & T will not stop, disconnect or suspend services because of your view or our declaration of public policy issues, political issues or political campaigns. "
Privacy controversy
In 2006, the Electronic Frontier Foundation filed a class action lawsuit, Hepting v. AT & amp; T , alleging that AT & T has allowed agents from the National Security Agency (NSA) to monitor phone and Internet communications of AT & T customers without warrant. If true, this would violate the Foreign Intelligence Oversight Act of 1978 and the Fourth Amendment and Fourth US Constitution. AT & amp; T has not confirmed or denied that monitoring by the NSA is taking place. In April 2006, former AT & amp; pensioner, Mark Klein, filed a statement supporting this allegation. The Department of Justice has stated it will intervene in this lawsuit through State Secret Rights.
In July 2006, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California - where the lawsuit was filed - rejected the federal government's motion to cancel the case. The dismissal movement, which calls for the State Secrets, has stated that any court review on alleged partnership between the federal government and AT & T will jeopardize national security. The case was immediately submitted to the Ninth Circuit. It was dismissed on June 3, 2009, citing retroactive laws in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
In May 2006, USA Today reported that all international and domestic call records have been submitted to the National Security Agency by AT & amp; T, Verizon, SBC, and BellSouth for the purpose of creating a massive database of calls.. Portions of new AT & T; which had been part of SBC Communications before November 18, 2005, was not mentioned.
On June 21, 2006, San Francisco Chronicle reported that AT & amp; T has rewritten the rules about his privacy policy. The policy, effective June 23, 2006, states that "AT & T is not a customer - has customer confidential information and may use it" to protect its legitimate business interests, protect others, or respond to legal proceedings. '"
On August 22, 2007, National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell confirmed that AT & T is one telecommunications company that helps with the government's wireless wire-tapping program on calls between foreign and domestic sources.
On November 8, 2007, Mark Klein, a former AT & amp technician T, told Keith Olbermann of MSNBC that all Internet traffic passing through AT & amp; T copied to a locked room in the company's San Francisco office - which only employees with National Permit security agents have access.
AT & amp; T stores for five to seven years a record of who the text message is and which date and time, but not the message content.
Intellectual property filtering
In January 2008, the company reported plans to begin filtering all Internet traffic passing through its network for intellectual property infringement. Commentators in the media have speculated that if this plan were implemented, it would lead to a mass exodus of customers leaving AT & amp; T, although this is misleading because Internet traffic is possible through the corporate network. The advocates of Internet freedom are using this development as a justification for network neutrality mandated by the government.
Discrimination against local public access television channels
AT & T is accused by community media groups who discriminate against public cable TV channels, education and government access (PEG), by "implications that will severely limit viewers".
According to Barbara Popovic, Executive Director of Chicago CAN-TV public access services, AT & amp; The new U-verse force forces all Public access television into a special menu system, denying normal functions such as channel numbers, access to standard program guides, and DVR recording. The Ratepayer Advocate Division of the California Public Utilities Commission reported: "Instead of placing stations on individual channels, AT & T has a collection of community stations into generic channels that can only be navigated through a complex and lengthy process."
Sue Buske (president of the telecommunications consulting firm Buske Group and former head of the National Cable Local Programmers/Alliance for Community Media) argues that this is "a whole [...] attack on public access across [United States]], cities and communities where people can create their own media in their own communities ".
Information security
In June 2010, a hacking group known as Goatse Security found vulnerabilities in AT & amp; T which allows anyone to uncover the email addresses of AT & T's 3G service customers T for Apple iPad. This email address can be accessed without a password. Using scripts, Goatse Security collects thousands of email addresses from AT & amp; T. Goatse Security informs AT & T about security holes through third parties. Goatse Security then reveals about 114,000 of these emails to Gawker Media, which publishes articles about security holes and disclosures in Valleywag. The Praetorian Security Group criticizes Web applications that Goatse Security exploits as "not well designed".
In April 2015, AT & amp; T was fined $ 25 million for data security breaches, marking the largest ever fine issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for violating data privacy laws. The investigation revealed the theft of details of about 280,000 people from call centers in Mexico, Colombia and the Philippines.
Accusations of possible counterfeiting
In March 2012, the United States federal government declared a lawsuit against AT & amp; T. The specific allegation states that AT & amp; T "violates the False Claim Act by facilitating and seeking federal payments for IP Relay calls by international callers who are not eligible for such services and are attempting to use them for fraudulent purposes.The complaint states that, due to fears that a fake call volume will fall after the limit time of registration, AT & T consciously adopted an unsuitable registration system that did not verify whether the user was in the United States.An further complaint states that AT & T continues to use this system even with the knowledge that it facilitates the use of IP Relay by fake foreign callers, which accounts for up to 95 percent of AT & T's call volume. Government complaints allege that AT & T is not exactly charging TRS Funds for this call reimbursement and receiving millions of dollars in federal payments as a result. "
Racism
On April 28, 2015, AT & T announced that it had sacked Aaron Slator, the President of Content and Sales Ads, to send racist text messages. The slator was also hit with a $ 100 million discrimination suit filed by African-American employee Knoyme King. The day before, the protesters arrived at AT & amp; T in Dallas and its satellite offices in Los Angeles and at the home of CEO Randall Stephenson to protest the alleged systematic racial policy. According to reports, demonstrators are demanding AT & amp; T started working with 100% of the company owned black media.
Trademark infringement
In June 2016, Citigroup sued AT & amp; T for trademark infringement, false origin designation, and unhealthy competition. The company has recently established a loyalty program under the AT & amp; T Thank You , which Citigroup claims will cause consumer confusion as a "Thank You" and "Citi TerimaYou" marking off because of similar words and visuals of Design. Citi, which also provides co-branded credit cards for AT & amp; T linked to the ThankYou gift program, looking for unspecified damage and release of trademark registration AT & amp; T.
The lawsuit was dismissed in August 2016, with the judge ruling that there is a low likelihood of confusion between the two brands because the company falls in different industries, and that consumers who use loyalty programs will be able to "clearly take into account the attributes associated with the products they buy" and thus, can distinguish it.
Name rights and sponsors
Building
- AT & T 220 Buildings in Indianapolis, Indiana
- AT & T Buildings - buildings in Detroit, Michigan
- AT & T Buildings - buildings in Indianapolis, Indiana
- AT & T Buildings - buildings in Kingman, Arizona
- AT & T Building - (aka "The Batman Building") in Nashville, Tennessee
- AT & T Buildings - buildings in Omaha, Nebraska
- AT & T Additional Buildings - buildings in Detroit, Michigan
- AT & T Buildings - buildings in San Diego
- AT & amp; T Center - building in Los Angeles
- AT & amp; T Center - building at St. Louis, Missouri
- AT & amp; T Center - buildings in San Antonio, Texas
- AT & T City Center - buildings in Birmingham, Alabama
- AT & T T Corporate Center - building in Chicago, Illinois
- AT & amp; T Huron Road Building - buildings in Cleveland, Ohio
- The AT & amp; T Lenox Park - AT & amp; T Mobility Headquarters in DeKalb County outside Atlanta, Georgia
- AT & amp; T Midtown Center - building in Atlanta, Georgia
- AT & amp; T Switching Center - building in Los Angeles
- AT & amp; T Switching Center - buildings in Oakland, California
- AT & amp; T Switching Center - building in San Francisco
- AT & T Tower - buildings in Minneapolis, MN
- Whitacre Tower (One AT & T Plaza) - Corporate Headquarters, Dallas, Texas
- AT & T build - build in (Meriden), CT
Venues
- AT & amp; T Center - San Antonio, Texas (formerly SBC Center )
- AT & amp; T Field - Chattanooga, Tennessee (formerly BellSouth Park )
- AT & T Park - San Francisco, California (formerly Pacific Bell Park , SBC Park )
- AT & T Plaza - Chicago, Illinois (public space hosting the Cloud Gate statue at Millennium Park)
- AT & T Plaza - Dallas, Texas (the square in front of American Airlines Center in Victory Park)
- AT & T Arts Center - Dallas, Texas
- AT & T Stadium - Arlington, Texas (formerly Dallas Cowboys Stadium )
- AT & amp; Jones Stadium T - Lubbock, Texas (formerly Clifford B. and Audrey Jones Stadium , Jones SBC Stadium )
- TPC San Antonio - San Antonio, Texas (AT & amp; T Oaks Course & AT & amp; T Canyons Course)
- War Memorial Stadium, AT & T Field - Little Rock, Arkansas
Sponsors
- AT & amp; T Byron Nelson - Irving, Texas (golf)
- AT & amp; T Cotton Bowl Classic (formerly Cotton Bowl Classic Cottonland Bell Cotton Bowl Classic - SBC Cotton Bowl Classic) - played in Arlington, Texas, in AT & amp; T Stadium (football)
- AT & amp; T National - Washington, D.C. (golf)
- AT & amp; T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (golf)
- AT & amp; T Red River Rivalry - Dallas, Texas (formerly Red River Shootout , SBC Red River Rivalry ) (football)
- Major League Soccer and the United States Football Federation, including the US men's and US women's national team and the Premier League Football Games of 2009
- Mexico national football team
- United States Olympic Team
- National Colleges of Athletics (Winner of the Company)
- AT & amp; T American Cup, artistic gymnastics competition. Sponsored by AT & amp; T since 2011.
- Red Bull Racing (Formula 1 racing team), technical support and sponsorship, since 2011.
Miscellaneous
- AT & amp; T (SEPTA station) - Public Transport Station in Philadelphia, PA
See also
References
External links
- Company information
- Official website
- History and science resources at The Franklin Institute's Case Files online exhibition
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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