Page 3 - DIGICEL MAY 20,2015
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TECHNOLOGY A23
Wednesday 20 May 2015
Not Your Ma’s Bell: AT&T evolves beyond phones
By ANICK JESDANUN sponding increase in rev- focus.” AT&T wants to add wireless tors, Ford and BMW, and
AP Technology Writer enue, largely because of AT&T’s transition has been to packages now made expects to be the data-
NEW YORK (AP) -- The com- price competition. years in the making as of TV, Internet and wired service provider for half of
pany whose name has All phone companies have wireless supplanted land- phone lines. And it wants the new wireless-connect-
long been synonymous been looking beyond line phones. But the move to distribute video content ed passenger vehicles this
with telephones is looking phones for growth, but beyond phones - wireless to more places, including year.
for new ways to reach out none of them has been or otherwise - is acceler- phones and the backseats While AT&T sells data con-
and touch someone. as aggressive as AT&T, the ating with the impending of cars. nections to car manufac-
AT&T, which had a popu- second-largest U.S. wire- DirecTV purchase and a “We believe that going for- turers - in some cases, to
lar “Reach Out and Touch less carrier. No. 1 carrier growth in car models with ward, when people start resell to drivers as part of
Someone” slogan in the Verizon announced a $4.4 connectivity built in. making decisions around OnStar and the like - AT&T
1980s, now wants to be billion bid last week to buy Of course, the phone isn’t mobile services, it’s going is also targeting consum-
on your TV, car and even AOL for its advertising and going away. AT&T typi- to be around what I can ers directly with the prom-
trashcan. video services, but AT&T’s cally gets more monthly do with those services. Can ise of backseat entertain-
AT&T Inc. is spending $48.5 ment and other benefits.
billion to buy satellite TV In this Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014 file photo, AT&T’s “Mobilizing Your World” slogan appears on a (It hasn’t said how many
provider DirecTV as it looks have subscribed, though
for new ways to package digital display outside an AT&T store, in New York’s Times Square. Associated Press the business appears small
access - wireless and wired for now.)
- with traditional and online DirecTV bid is 11 times that revenue for smartphone I watch video that’s impor- - With AT&T’s Digital Life
video. amount. The deal, which service (up to $40) than a tant when I’m on the go or home-automation and se-
It’s also revamping its AT&T hopes to complete tablet, wristwatch or car wherever I am?” said John curity services, people can
stores to showcase other within weeks, would make connection ($10 each). Stankey, AT&T’s chief strat- unlock doors, turn off lights
services, including the abil- AT&T the leading tradition- These emerging businesses egy officer. and check security cam-
ity to unlock your home’s al TV provider in the U.S., represent ways to get that - Cars, meanwhile, con- eras remotely through an
front doors through an app surpassing Comcast, and same phone customer to tributed to more than half app.
to let in contractors. It’s push AT&T farther into Latin pay more: of the 1.2 million wireless - And AT&T is making a big
equipping cars with data America, where DirecTV is - With DirecTV, AT&T will be service connections that push for business and gov-
connections for diagnostic, strong. able to package video in AT&T added in the first ernment customers. After
roadside assistance and “As the U.S. industry has new ways. AT&T already quarter. These are primarily selling them wireless and
entertainment systems. It’s gotten more competitive, provides traditional TV ser- car manufacturers need- wired phone connections,
even putting data sen- they’ve made some steps vices to 6 million house- ing data connections for it’s selling them new ways
sors into inanimate objects to diversify,” said Jon At- holds in 21 states through diagnostic systems and to use those connections,
such as parking meters kin, an analyst with RBC fixed-wire lines. DirecTV consumer-facing services such as vehicle tracking
and water pipes to build Capital Markets. “Verizon would add more than 20 such as OnStar navigation and mobile timecards for
smarter cities. has a little bit less product million households nation- and roadside assistance. payroll.
And last year, the com- diversity, and certainly less wide, and the combined AT&T has partnerships with But why stop at employ-
pany adopted “Mobilizing geographic diversity - if 26 million would exceed eight car manufacturers, ees? AT&T is also selling
Your World” as its slogan to you want to call it, greater Comcast’s 22 million for TV. including General Mo- new types of wireless con-
reflect a desire to be part nections for water pipes to
of your entire life, not just warn of leaks and garbage
on phones. cans to say when they are
“We don’t view ourselves full. AT&T might get a cut of
as a phone company any savings when garbage
anymore,” said Ralph de trucks don’t have to drive
la Vega, the company’s to nearly empty cans.
longtime mobile chief who AT&T is also developing sys-
took on greater responsibil- tems that analyze traffic
ities beyond phones after a patterns, so traffic can be
company reorganization. rerouted before conges-
Driving the transformation tion forms. A car skidding
is a slowdown in the U.S. on a patch of ice might
phone business, given that even warn other vehicles
most Americans already behind it, without any hu-
have cellphones. And al- man intervention.
though people have been Some of these projects
using their cellphones are in research labs, while
more heavily, especially to others have real custom-
watch video, that hasn’t ers in trials and smaller
translated into a corre- deployments.q
Wednesday 20 May 2015
Not Your Ma’s Bell: AT&T evolves beyond phones
By ANICK JESDANUN sponding increase in rev- focus.” AT&T wants to add wireless tors, Ford and BMW, and
AP Technology Writer enue, largely because of AT&T’s transition has been to packages now made expects to be the data-
NEW YORK (AP) -- The com- price competition. years in the making as of TV, Internet and wired service provider for half of
pany whose name has All phone companies have wireless supplanted land- phone lines. And it wants the new wireless-connect-
long been synonymous been looking beyond line phones. But the move to distribute video content ed passenger vehicles this
with telephones is looking phones for growth, but beyond phones - wireless to more places, including year.
for new ways to reach out none of them has been or otherwise - is acceler- phones and the backseats While AT&T sells data con-
and touch someone. as aggressive as AT&T, the ating with the impending of cars. nections to car manufac-
AT&T, which had a popu- second-largest U.S. wire- DirecTV purchase and a “We believe that going for- turers - in some cases, to
lar “Reach Out and Touch less carrier. No. 1 carrier growth in car models with ward, when people start resell to drivers as part of
Someone” slogan in the Verizon announced a $4.4 connectivity built in. making decisions around OnStar and the like - AT&T
1980s, now wants to be billion bid last week to buy Of course, the phone isn’t mobile services, it’s going is also targeting consum-
on your TV, car and even AOL for its advertising and going away. AT&T typi- to be around what I can ers directly with the prom-
trashcan. video services, but AT&T’s cally gets more monthly do with those services. Can ise of backseat entertain-
AT&T Inc. is spending $48.5 ment and other benefits.
billion to buy satellite TV In this Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014 file photo, AT&T’s “Mobilizing Your World” slogan appears on a (It hasn’t said how many
provider DirecTV as it looks have subscribed, though
for new ways to package digital display outside an AT&T store, in New York’s Times Square. Associated Press the business appears small
access - wireless and wired for now.)
- with traditional and online DirecTV bid is 11 times that revenue for smartphone I watch video that’s impor- - With AT&T’s Digital Life
video. amount. The deal, which service (up to $40) than a tant when I’m on the go or home-automation and se-
It’s also revamping its AT&T hopes to complete tablet, wristwatch or car wherever I am?” said John curity services, people can
stores to showcase other within weeks, would make connection ($10 each). Stankey, AT&T’s chief strat- unlock doors, turn off lights
services, including the abil- AT&T the leading tradition- These emerging businesses egy officer. and check security cam-
ity to unlock your home’s al TV provider in the U.S., represent ways to get that - Cars, meanwhile, con- eras remotely through an
front doors through an app surpassing Comcast, and same phone customer to tributed to more than half app.
to let in contractors. It’s push AT&T farther into Latin pay more: of the 1.2 million wireless - And AT&T is making a big
equipping cars with data America, where DirecTV is - With DirecTV, AT&T will be service connections that push for business and gov-
connections for diagnostic, strong. able to package video in AT&T added in the first ernment customers. After
roadside assistance and “As the U.S. industry has new ways. AT&T already quarter. These are primarily selling them wireless and
entertainment systems. It’s gotten more competitive, provides traditional TV ser- car manufacturers need- wired phone connections,
even putting data sen- they’ve made some steps vices to 6 million house- ing data connections for it’s selling them new ways
sors into inanimate objects to diversify,” said Jon At- holds in 21 states through diagnostic systems and to use those connections,
such as parking meters kin, an analyst with RBC fixed-wire lines. DirecTV consumer-facing services such as vehicle tracking
and water pipes to build Capital Markets. “Verizon would add more than 20 such as OnStar navigation and mobile timecards for
smarter cities. has a little bit less product million households nation- and roadside assistance. payroll.
And last year, the com- diversity, and certainly less wide, and the combined AT&T has partnerships with But why stop at employ-
pany adopted “Mobilizing geographic diversity - if 26 million would exceed eight car manufacturers, ees? AT&T is also selling
Your World” as its slogan to you want to call it, greater Comcast’s 22 million for TV. including General Mo- new types of wireless con-
reflect a desire to be part nections for water pipes to
of your entire life, not just warn of leaks and garbage
on phones. cans to say when they are
“We don’t view ourselves full. AT&T might get a cut of
as a phone company any savings when garbage
anymore,” said Ralph de trucks don’t have to drive
la Vega, the company’s to nearly empty cans.
longtime mobile chief who AT&T is also developing sys-
took on greater responsibil- tems that analyze traffic
ities beyond phones after a patterns, so traffic can be
company reorganization. rerouted before conges-
Driving the transformation tion forms. A car skidding
is a slowdown in the U.S. on a patch of ice might
phone business, given that even warn other vehicles
most Americans already behind it, without any hu-
have cellphones. And al- man intervention.
though people have been Some of these projects
using their cellphones are in research labs, while
more heavily, especially to others have real custom-
watch video, that hasn’t ers in trials and smaller
translated into a corre- deployments.q
