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'''AT&T Inc.''' is an American multinational corporation|multinational conglomerate (company)|conglomerate holding company, Delaware General Corporation Law|Delaware-registered<ref>{{Cite web |title=EDGAR Search Results |url=https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?CIK=732717 |access-date=July 20, 2020 |website=www.sec.gov}}</ref> but it is headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas.<ref name="Jbodonkor">Godinez, Victor and David McLemore. "[http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-att_28bus.ART.State.Edition2.4d5475b.html AT&T moving headquarters to Dallas from San Antonio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090626014954/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-att_28bus.ART.State.Edition2.4d5475b.html |date=June 26, 2009}}." ''The Dallas Morning News''. Saturday June 28, 2008. Retrieved June 18, 2009.</ref> It is the world’s largest telecommunications company, and the  second largest<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/5-biggest-telecom-companies-in-the-world-888125/?singlepage=1 |title= 5 Biggest Telecom Companies in the World |publisher= InsiderMonkey |date= October 30, 2020 |access-date= March 23, 2021 |quote= AT&T (USA) Revenue – 172890000 in thousands, USD. The American multinational, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is the largest provider of landline and the second largest provider of mobile services.}}</ref> provider of mobile telephone services. {{as of|2020|}}, AT&T was ranked 9th on the Fortune 500|''Fortune'' 500 rankings of the largest United States corporations, with revenues of $181 billion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AT&T {{!}} 2020 Fortune 500 |url=https://fortune.com/company/att/fortune500/ |access-date=January 12, 2021 |website=Fortune |language=en}}</ref>
'''AT&T Inc.''' is an American multinational corporation|multinational conglomerate (company)|conglomerate holding company, Delaware General Corporation Law|Delaware-registered but it is headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the world’s largest telecommunications company, and the  second largest provider of mobile telephone services. {{as of|2020|}}, AT&T was ranked 9th on the Fortune 500|''Fortune'' 500 rankings of the largest United States corporations, with revenues of $181 billion.


During most of the 20th century, AT&T had a monopoly on phone service in the United States. The company began its history as the American District Telegraph Company, formed in St. Louis in 1878.<ref>{{cite book |last= Hast |first= Adele |date= 1992 |title= International Directory of Company Histories |location= Detroit |publisher= St. James Press |page= 328 |isbn= 1-55862-061-3 |quote= Southwestern Bell Telephone Company has about 20 predecessor companies. The four largest of these were American District Telegraph Company, formed in St. Louis, Missouri 1878; the Kansas City Telephone Exchange, formed in Kansas City, Missouri in 1879, Southwestern Telegraph & Telephone Company, which began serving Texas and Arkansas in 1881; and Pioneer Telephone & Telegraph Company, which provided telephone service beginning in 1904 in Oklahoma – not then a state, but known as Indian Territory – and in parts of Kansas.}}</ref> After expanding services to Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, through a series of mergers, it became Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in 1920, which was then a subsidiary of American Telephone and Telegraph Company.<ref>{{cite book |last= Hast |first= Adele |date= 1992 |title= International Directory of Company Histories |location= Detroit |publisher= St. James Press |page= 328 |isbn= 1-55862-061-3 |quote= In 1917, the four companies began moving toward a more formal merge, with the Missouri & Kansas Telephone Company – the new name of the Kansas City Telephone Exchange – acquiring Bell Telephone Company of Missouri, successor to American District Telegraph. The resulting company was named Southwestern Bell Telephone Company (Missouri). In 1920 this company bought Southwestern Telephone & Telegraph and Southwestern Bell Telephone Company (Oklahoma), the successor to Pioneer Telephone & Telegraph, establishing the new Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, which was a subsidiary of AT&T.}}</ref> The latter was a successor of the original Bell Telephone Company founded by Alexander Graham Bell in 1877.<ref>{{cite book |last= Danielian |first= N.R. |date= 1939 |title= A.T.&T. The Story of Industrial Conquest |location= New York |publisher= Vanguard Press |page= 9 |isbn= 9780405060380 |quote= After the success of Bell’s experiments, which resulted in the basic Bell patents of 1876 and 1877, a new company was organized for the purpose of commercial exploitation. The Bell Telephone Company, a Massachusetts voluntary association, was formed on July 9, 1877, with Gardiner G. Hubbard as trustee.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last= Danielian |first= N.R. |date= 1939 |title= A.T.&T. The Story of Industrial Conquest |location= New York |publisher= Vanguard Press |page= 12 |isbn= 9780405060380 |quote= The American Telephone and Telegraph Company was, therefore, incorporated in New York in 1885, as a subsidiary of American Bell Telephone Company, to operate long-distance telephone lines…In 1899, American Bell sold all of its assets to its subsidiary, AT&T…As a result of this transaction, AT&T emerged as the parent company in the Bell System, assuming the holding-company functions previously exercised by American Bell Telephone Company.}}</ref> The American Bell Telephone Company formed the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) subsidiary in 1885.<ref>{{cite book |last= Danielian |first= N.R. |date= 1939 |title= A.T.&T. The Story of Industrial Conquest |location= New York |publisher= Vanguard Press |pages= 11–12 |isbn= 9780405060380 |quote= With increasing demands for telephones, the financial needs of the Bell System were expanding. To meet these needs, a new corporation, the American Bell Telephone Company, was created by a special act of the Massachusetts legislature… The American Telephone and Telegraph Company was, therefore, incorporated in New York in 1885, as a subsidiary of American Bell Telephone Company, to operate long-distance telephone lines, and Vail became its first president.}}</ref> In 1899, AT&T became the parent company after the American Bell Telephone Company sold its assets to its subsidiary.<ref>{{cite book |last= Danielian |first= N.R. |date= 1939 |title= A.T.&T. The Story of Industrial Conquest |location= New York |publisher= Vanguard Press |page= 12 |isbn= 9780405060380 |quote= In 1899, American Bell sold all of its assets (except A.T.&T. stock) to its subsidiary, A.T.&T. It then offered to its stockholders two shares of the A.T.&T. stock which hit held, in exchange for one share of American Bell stock. As a result of this transaction, A.T.&T. emerged as the parent company in the Bell System, assuming the holding-company functions previously exercised by American Bell Telephone Company.}}</ref> The company was rebranded as AT&T Corporation|AT&T Corp. in 1994.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1994/03/02/digest/5a77ece2-72ae-483f-86e3-a5167e6ce3c3/?utm_term=.5e2372aa2a2f  |title= DIGEST |work= The Washington Post |date= March 2, 1994 |access-date= March 23, 2021 |quote= AT&T is asking shareholders to change its official name from American Telephone & Telegraph Co. to AT&T Corp. at the annual meeting April 20 in Atlanta.}}</ref> The 1982 United States v. AT&T antitrust lawsuit resulted in the Breakup of the Bell System|divestiture of AT&T's ("Ma Bell") local operating subsidiaries<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/25/business/the-challenge-of-divestiture.html |title= THE CHALLENGE OF DIVESTITURE |work= The New York Times |date= October 25, 1983 |access-date= March 23, 2021 |quote= Under the antitrust settlement A.T.& T. signed with the Justice Department in January 1982, the divested organizations not only will be local telephone carriers, but, with certain restrictions, they will have the right to enter other businesses as well.}}</ref> which were grouped into seven<ref name="THE CHALLENGE OF DIVESTITURE">{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/25/business/the-challenge-of-divestiture.html |title= THE CHALLENGE OF DIVESTITURE |work= The New York Times |date= October 25, 1983 |access-date= March 23, 2021 |quote= The 7 Holding Companies. The seven regional holding companies that will result from the breakup of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company are sketched here, with a brief outline of their potential strengths and weaknesses.}}</ref> Regional Bell Operating Company|Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs), commonly referred to as "Baby Bells", resulting in seven independent companies,<ref name="THE CHALLENGE OF DIVESTITURE"/> including Southwestern Bell Corporation (SBC).<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/25/business/the-challenge-of-divestiture.html |title= THE CHALLENGE OF DIVESTITURE |work= The New York Times |date= October 25, 1983 |access-date= March 23, 2021 |quote= Southwestern Bell, stretching from Arkansas through Texas into Missouri, will have only one existing local operating company, Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, under it, saving it any pains of integration.}}</ref> The latter changed its name to SBC Communications Inc. in 1995.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2002/12/09/daily20.html?page=2 |title= SBC drops Southwestern Bell, other brand names |publisher= American City Business Journals|Kansas City Business Journal |date= December 10, 2002 |access-date= March 23, 2021 |quote= In 1995, the former Bell company took on the SBC Communications name.}}</ref> In 2005, SBC purchased its former parent AT&T Corp. and took on its branding, with the merged entity naming itself AT&T Inc. and using its history, a version of its iconic logo and stock-trading symbol.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2005-11-19-0511190029-story.html |title= SBC wraps up acquisition of AT&T |publisher= Chicago Tribune |date= November 19, 2005 |access-date= March 23, 2021 |quote= SBC will unveil a new AT&T logo Monday as it outlines plans for changing the name of the merged company…The combined company will adopt AT&T's stock symbol, T, on the New York Stock Exchange beginning Dec. 1.}}</ref> AT&T Inc. acquired BellSouth|BellSouth Corporation in 2006, the last independent Baby Bell company, making its formerly joint venture Cingular|Cingular Wireless (which had acquired AT&T Wireless in 2004) wholly owned and rebranding it as AT&T Mobility.
During most of the 20th century, AT&T had a monopoly on phone service in the United States. The company began its history as the American District Telegraph Company, formed in St. Louis in 1878. After expanding services to Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, through a series of mergers, it became Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in 1920, which was then a subsidiary of American Telephone and Telegraph Company. The latter was a successor of the original Bell Telephone Company founded by Alexander Graham Bell in 1877. The American Bell Telephone Company formed the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) subsidiary in 1885. In 1899, AT&T became the parent company after the American Bell Telephone Company sold its assets to its subsidiary. The company was rebranded as AT&T Corporation|AT&T Corp. in 1994. The 1982 United States v. AT&T antitrust lawsuit resulted in the Breakup of the Bell System|divestiture of AT&T's ("Ma Bell") local operating subsidiaries which were grouped into seven Regional Bell Operating Company|Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs), commonly referred to as "Baby Bells", resulting in seven independent companies, The latter changed its name to SBC Communications Inc. in 1995. In 2005, SBC purchased its former parent AT&T Corp. and took on its branding, with the merged entity naming itself AT&T Inc. and using its history, a version of its iconic logo and stock-trading symbol. AT&T Inc. acquired BellSouth|BellSouth Corporation in 2006, the last independent Baby Bell company, making its formerly joint venture Cingular|Cingular Wireless (which had acquired AT&T Wireless in 2004) wholly owned and rebranding it as AT&T Mobility.


The current AT&T Breakup of the Bell System#Evolution of the Baby Bells|reconstitutes much of the former Bell System, and includes four of the seven “Baby Bells” along with the original AT&T Corp., including the AT&T Communications|long-distance division.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://money.cnn.com/2014/05/20/technology/att-merger-history/index.html |title= How AT&T got busted up and pieced back together |publisher= CNN Business|CNN Money |date= May 20, 2014 |access-date= March 23, 2021 |quote= The whirlwind began in 1997, when Southwestern Bell Corp. (SBC) merged with fellow Baby Bell Pacific Telesis. Two years later, SBC bought Ameritech, another Baby Bell. Then, the craziness really started when SBC bought Ma Bell -- its former parent company -- in 2005. The combined company renamed itself AT&T. A year later, the new AT&T bought BellSouth, yet another Baby Bell. The new AT&T also bought Cingular Wireless in 2006 -- a company jointly run by Baby Bells SBC and BellSouth that had bought the old AT&T Wireless in 2004. Cingular then changed its name to AT&T Mobility. Got all that? The merger history of these five Baby Bells is dizzying and better explained visually.}}</ref>
The current AT&T Breakup of the Bell System#Evolution of the Baby Bells|reconstitutes much of the former Bell System, and includes four of the seven “Baby Bells” along with the original AT&T Corp., including the AT&T Communications|long-distance division.


== History ==
== History ==
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=== Origin and growth (1885–1981) ===
=== Origin and growth (1885–1981) ===
{{See also|History of AT&T#Origins|History of AT&T#Monopoly}}
 
AT&T was founded as Bell Telephone Company by Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas A. Watson|Thomas Watson, Gardiner Greene Hubbard, and Thomas Sanders after Bell's patenting of the telephone in 1875.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home{{!}} History{{!}} AT&T |url=https://www.corp.att.com/history/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105114300/http://www.corp.att.com/history/ |archive-date=November 5, 2016 |access-date=March 3, 2017 |website=www.corp.att.com |language=en}}</ref> By 1881, Bell Telephone Company had become the American Bell Telephone Company.<ref>{{cite book |last= Brooks |first= John |date= 1976 |title= Telephone: The First Hundred Years |location= New York |publisher= Harper_(publisher)|Harper & Row |page= 73 |isbn= 0-06-010540-2 |quote= Early in 1881, the American Bell Telephone Company – as it came to be called beginning in March 1880 – issued its first annual report to stockholders.}}</ref> One of its subsidiaries was the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T), established in 1885.<ref>{{cite news |date= February 13, 2016  |url= https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/02/12/technology/att-history.html  |title= AT&T's History of Invention and Breakups |work= The New York Times |accessdate= April 22, 2021 |quote= 1885 - The American Telephone and Telegraph Company is created as a subsidiary of Bell Telephone to build and operate a long-distance telephone network.}}</ref> On December 30, 1899, AT&T acquired the assets of its parent American Bell Telephone, becoming the new parent company. <ref>{{cite book |last= Brooks |first= John |date= 1975 |title= TELEPHONE The First Hundred Years |location= New York |publisher= Harper_(publisher)|Harper & Row |page= 107 |isbn= 0-06-010540-2 |quote= Accordingly, the American Bell management bad farewell to Boston and gradually moved its offices to downtown Manhattan, and on December 30, 1899 – the next-to-last day of the old century – AT&T, with a new capitalization of over seventy million dollars, became the parent company of the Bell System, which, of course, it has remained ever since.}}</ref> '''AT&T''' established a network of local telephone subsidiaries in the United States. AT&T and its subsidiaries held a phone service monopoly, authorized in 1913 by government authorities with the Kingsbury Commitment, throughout most of the twentieth century.<ref>{{cite web |last= Griffin |first= Jodie |date= December 19, 2013 |url= https://www.publicknowledge.org/blog/100th-anniversary-of-the-kingsbury-commitment/  |title= 100th Anniversary of the Kingsbury Commitment |publisher=Public Knowledge |access-date= April 22, 2021 |quote= In 1913, the U.S. filed an antitrust lawsuit against AT&T to break up its growing monopoly in the phone service market. While Congress contemplated nationalizing the long distance telephone network, AT&T settled the antitrust lawsuit with the Kingsbury Commitment. In the Kingsbury Commitment, AT&T agreed to allow independent local telephone companies to interconnect with AT&T’s long distance network, divest Western Union, and refrain from purchasing other companies if the Interstate Commerce Commission objected.}}</ref> This monopoly was known as the Bell System,<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Pollack |first=Andrew |date=January 1, 1984 |title=BELL SYSTEM BREAKUP OPENS ERA OF GREAT EXPECTATIONS AND GREAT CONCERN |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/01/us/bell-system-breakup-opens-era-of-great-expectations-and-great-concern.html |url-status=live |access-date=May 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813111702/http://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/01/us/bell-system-breakup-opens-era-of-great-expectations-and-great-concern.html |archive-date=August 13, 2017 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and during this period, AT&T was also known by the nickname Ma Bell.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pagliery |first=Jose |date=May 20, 2014 |title=How AT&T got busted up and pieced back together |url=https://money.cnn.com/2014/05/20/technology/att-merger-history/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312095025/https://money.cnn.com/2014/05/20/technology/att-merger-history/index.html |archive-date=March 12, 2017 |access-date=May 24, 2017 |website=CNNMoney}}</ref>
AT&T was founded as Bell Telephone Company by Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas A. Watson|Thomas Watson, Gardiner Greene Hubbard, and Thomas Sanders after Bell's patenting of the telephone in 1875. By 1881, Bell Telephone Company had become the American Bell Telephone Company. One of its subsidiaries was the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T), established in 1885. On December 30, 1899, AT&T acquired the assets of its parent American Bell Telephone, becoming the new parent company. '''AT&T''' established a network of local telephone subsidiaries in the United States. AT&T and its subsidiaries held a phone service monopoly, authorized in 1913 by government authorities with the Kingsbury Commitment, throughout most of the twentieth century. This monopoly was known as the Bell System, and during this period, AT&T was also known by the nickname Ma Bell.


=== Breakup and reformation (1982–2004) ===
=== Breakup and reformation (1982–2004) ===
{{See also|Breakup of the Bell System|History of AT&T#Post break-up restructuring}}


In 1982, U.S. Breakup_of_the_Bell_System|regulators broke up the AT&T monopoly, requiring AT&T to divest its local subsidiaries, which it did by grouping them into seven individual companies. <ref>{{cite news |last= Pollack |first= Andrew |date= August 4, 1983 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/04/business/at-t-us-agree-on-final-aspects-of-bell-breakup.html  |title= A.T.& T., U.S. AGREE ON FINAL ASPECTS OF BELL BREAKUP |work= The New York Times |accessdate= April 22, 2021 |quote= The local companies, grouped into seven regional holding companies, will provide local telephone service and can sell, but not manufacture, telephone equipment.}}</ref> These new companies were known as Regional Bell Operating Companies, or more informally, Baby Bells.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 3, 2014 |title=Lessons from the AT&T break up, 30 years later-CICTP |language=en-US |work=Tech Policy Daily |url=http://www.techpolicydaily.com/communications/lessons-att-break-30-years-later/ |url-status=dead |access-date=April 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422035122/http://www.techpolicydaily.com/communications/lessons-att-break-30-years-later/ |archive-date=April 22, 2017}}</ref> AT&T continued to operate long-distance services but faced increasing competition from overseas supplied competitors such as MCI Communications|MCI and Sprint Corporation|Sprint.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZMgb9jEvriUC&q=AT&pg=PA21 |title=Factors affecting U.S. trade and shipments of information technology products computer equipment, telecommunications equipment, and semiconductors |publisher=DIANE Publishing |isbn=978-1-4289-5190-7 |language=en}}</ref>
In 1982, U.S. Breakup_of_the_Bell_System|regulators broke up the AT&T monopoly, requiring AT&T to divest its local subsidiaries, which it did by grouping them into seven individual companies.  These new companies were known as Regional Bell Operating Companies, or more informally, Baby Bells. AT&T continued to operate long-distance services but faced increasing competition from overseas supplied competitors such as MCI Communications|MCI and Sprint Corporation|Sprint.


Southwestern Bell Corporation (SBC) was one of the companies created by the breakup of AT&T Corp.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=A brief history of AT&T - Jul. 9, 2001 |url=https://money.cnn.com/2001/07/09/deals/att_history/#:~:text=In%201899,%20AT&T%20bought%20Bell%27s,of%20$75%20for%20five%20minutes. |access-date=June 30, 2020 |website=money.cnn.com}}</ref> The company soon started a series of acquisitions, including the 1987 acquisition of Metromedia mobile business and the acquisition of several cable companies in the early 1990s.{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}} In the latter half of the 1990s, the company acquired several other telecommunications companies, including two Baby Bells (Pacific_Telesis|Pacific Telesis Group and Ameritech|Ameritech Corporation),<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=TE004 |title= TELEPHONE INDUSTRY. |publisher=Oklahoma Historical Society |access-date= April 22, 2021 |quote= After Congress de-regulated the telecommunications industry in February 1996, allowing regional companies to compete with long distance carriers, among other rule changes, SBC began to expand. In 1996 it merged with Pacific Telesis Group, and in 1998 the company bought the Ameritech Corporation.}}</ref> while selling its cable business. During this time, the company changed its name to SBC Communications Inc.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Roundup |first=An Interactive Journal News |date=June 24, 1998 |title=AT&T Agrees to Acquire TCI, Creating a Telecom Behemoth |language=en-US |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB898571162416331500 |access-date=June 30, 2020 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref> By 1998, the company was in the top 15 of the Fortune 500, and by 1999 the company was part of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (lasting through 2015).<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.dow-jones-djia.com/2007/05/26/november-1-1999-changes-to-dow-jones-industrial-average/ |title= NOVEMBER 1, 1999 Changes to Dow Jones Industrial Average |publisher=Dow Jones Industrial Stocks |access-date= April 22, 2021}}</ref> <ref>{{cite news |last= Gaffen |first= David |date= March 6, 2015 |url= https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-dow/at-long-last-dow-gets-a-taste-for-apple-idUKKBN0M21H020150306  |title= At long last, Dow gets a taste for Apple |publisher= Reuters |accessdate= April 22, 2021 |quote= Apple Inc AAPL.O, the largest U.S. company by market value, will join the Dow Jones industrial average .DJI, replacing AT&T Inc T.N, in a change that reflects the dominant position of the iPhone maker in the U.S. consumer economy.}}</ref>
Southwestern Bell Corporation (SBC) was one of the companies created by the breakup of AT&T Corp. The company soon started a series of acquisitions, including the 1987 acquisition of Metromedia mobile business and the acquisition of several cable companies in the early 1990s.{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}} In the latter half of the 1990s, the company acquired several other telecommunications companies, including two Baby Bells (Pacific_Telesis|Pacific Telesis Group and Ameritech|Ameritech Corporation), while selling its cable business. During this time, the company changed its name to SBC Communications Inc. By 1998, the company was in the top 15 of the Fortune 500, and by 1999 the company was part of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (lasting through 2015).


=== Purchase of former parent and acquisitions (2005–2014) ===
=== Purchase of former parent and acquisitions (2005–2014) ===
{{See also|History of AT&T#Rise of SBC|History of AT&T#Post-consolidation wireless acquisitions}}


On November 18, 2005, SBC Communications, Inc.based in San Antonio, purchased AT&T Corp. for $16 billion.<ref>{{cite news |last= Van |first= Jon |date= November 19, 2005  |url= https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2005-11-19-0511190029-story.html |title= SBC wraps up acquisition of AT&T |publisher= Chicago Tribune |accessdate= April 22, 2021 |quote= SBC Communications Inc. completed its acquisition of AT&T Corp. on Friday after California regulators approved the $16 billion deal.}}</ref> After this purchase, SBC adopted the better-known AT&T name and brand, with the original AT&T Corp. still existing as the long-distance landline subsidiary of the merged company.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Belson |first1=Ken |title=SBC Agrees to Acquire AT&T for $16 Billion |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/31/business/sbc-agrees-to-acquire-att-for-16-billion.html |access-date=25 April 2021 |work=New York Times |date=31 January 2005 |quote=SBC Communications last night was close to concluding a $16 billion deal for its former parent, AT&T, that would lead to the virtual disappearance of one of America's best known corporate icons and set off what promises to be a new round of competition between the Baby Bells, executives close to the negotiations said.}}</ref> The current AT&T Inc. claims the original AT&T Corp.’s history (dating to 1877) as its own,<ref>{{cite book |last= Danielian |first= NR |date= 1939 |title= AT&T The Story of Industrial Conquest |location= New York |publisher= The Vanguard Press |page= 9 |isbn= 0405060386 |quote= The Bell Telephone Company, a Massachusetts voluntary association, was formed on July 9, 1877, with Gardiner G. Hubbard as trustee.}}</ref> but retains SBC’s 1983-2005 corporate structure and pre-2005 stock price history.
On November 18, 2005, SBC Communications, Inc.based in San Antonio, purchased AT&T Corp. for $16 billion. After this purchase, SBC adopted the better-known AT&T name and brand, with the original AT&T Corp. still existing as the long-distance landline subsidiary of the merged company. but retains SBC’s 1983-2005 corporate structure and pre-2005 stock price history.


AT&T made History of AT&T#2011: Attempted acquisition of T-Mobile USA|an attempt in 2011 to purchase T-Mobile for a $39 billion stock and cash offer.<ref name="abc">{{Cite news |date=March 20, 2011 |title=AT&T to Buy T-Mobile USA for $39&nbsp;billion |work=The New York Times |url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/att-to-buy-t-mobile-usa-for-39-billion/?hp |url-status=live |access-date=March 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110322105956/http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/att-to-buy-t-mobile-usa-for-39-billion/?hp |archive-date=March 22, 2011}}</ref> The bid was withdrawn after the takeover company was faced with significant regulatory and legal hurdles, along with heavy resistance from the U.S. government. As per the original acquisition agreement, T-Mobile received $3 billion in cash as well as access to $1 billion worth of AT&T-held wireless spectrum.<ref>{{Cite web |last=AT&T |date=December 19, 2011 |title=AT&T Ends Bid To Add Network Capacity Through T-Mobile USA Purchase |url=http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=22146&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=33560&mapcode=corporate%7Cwireless-networks-general |access-date=December 19, 2011 |publisher=AT&T}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Timothy B. |date=December 19, 2011 |title=AT&T admits defeat on T-Mobile takeover, will pay $4 billion breakup fee |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2011/12/att-admits-defeat-on-t-mobile-takeover-will-pay-4-billion-breakup-fee/ |access-date=October 8, 2020 |publisher=Ars Technica}}</ref>
AT&T made History of AT&T#2011: Attempted acquisition of T-Mobile USA|an attempt in 2011 to purchase T-Mobile for a $39 billion stock and cash offer. The bid was withdrawn after the takeover company was faced with significant regulatory and legal hurdles, along with heavy resistance from the U.S. government. As per the original acquisition agreement, T-Mobile received $3 billion in cash as well as access to $1 billion worth of AT&T-held wireless spectrum.


In September 2013, AT&T announced it would expand into Latin America through a collaboration with América Móvil.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sinead Carew |date=September 18, 2013 |title=AT&T to expand in Latin America with America Movil deal |publisher=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/18/us-att-americamovil-idUSBRE98H02Z20130918 |url-status=live |access-date=September 20, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924184845/http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/18/us-att-americamovil-idUSBRE98H02Z20130918 |archive-date=September 24, 2015}}</ref> In December 2013, AT&T announced plans to sell its Connecticut wireline operations to Stamford-based Frontier Communications.<ref>{{Cite news |last=AT&T |date=December 17, 2013 |title=AT&T Announces Plans to Sell Connecticut Wireline Operations to Frontier Communications for $2.0 Billion |publisher=AT&T |url=http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=25160&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=37344 |url-status=live |access-date=December 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217224345/http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=25160&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=37344 |archive-date=December 17, 2013}}</ref>
In September 2013, AT&T announced it would expand into Latin America through a collaboration with América Móvil. In December 2013, AT&T announced plans to sell its Connecticut wireline operations to Stamford-based Frontier Communications.


AT&T acquired BellSouth|BellSouth Corporation on December 29, 2006 following Federal_Communications_Commission|FCC approval.<ref>{{cite news |last= Bajaj |first= Vikas |date= December 30, 2006  |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/30/business/30tele.html |title= BellSouth and AT&T Close Deal |work= The New York Times |accessdate= April 22, 2021 |quote= Federal regulators approved AT&T’s $85.8 billion acquisition of BellSouth yesterday, allowing the companies to close their delayed deal.}}</ref> The transaction consolidated ownership and management of Cingular Wireless. <ref>{{cite news |last= Vorman |first= Julie |date= January 21, 2007 |url= https://www.reuters.com/article/businesspro-bellsouth-fcc-dc/att-closes-86-billion-bellsouth-deal-idUSWBT00636120061230 |title= AT&T closes $86 billion BellSouth deal |publisher= Reuters |accessdate= April 22, 2021 |quote= Now four of the seven companies that were spun off from the original AT&T in 1984 are back under one roof, and it includes 66.1 million telephone lines, 58.7 million Cingular Wireless customers and 11.6 million high-speed Internet customers.}}</ref> AT&T rebranded its wireless retail stores from Cingular to AT&T in January 2007.<ref>{{cite news |last= Searcey |first= Dionne |date= January 12, 2007  |url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB116855760238674492 |title= Bye, Cingular, in AT&T Rebranding |publisher= The Wall Street Journal |accessdate= April 22, 2021 |quote= But in the long term, Mr. Lerman said, AT&T will benefit from the efficiency of having its well-known name appear on all its services. AT&T executives wouldn't say how much the rebranding will cost as they change signs in roughly 2,000 stores as well as employee uniforms and billing letterhead. But executives estimate 20% of the expected operating-expense savings from the merger will come from advertising, because of the single AT&T brand.}}</ref>
AT&T acquired BellSouth|BellSouth Corporation on December 29, 2006 following Federal_Communications_Commission|FCC approval. The transaction consolidated ownership and management of Cingular Wireless.  AT&T rebranded its wireless retail stores from Cingular to AT&T in January 2007.


=== Recent developments (2014–present) ===
=== Recent developments (2014–present) ===
{{See also|History of AT&T#Recent developments}}
In late 2014, AT&T purchased Mexican cellular carrier Iusacell,<ref name="androidcentral.com">{{Cite web |last=Nguyen |first=Chuong |date=November 7, 2014 |title=AT&T to expand North American coverage area with Mexico carrier Iusacell acquisition |url=http://www.androidcentral.com/att-expand-north-american-coverage-area-mexico-carrier-iusacell-acquisition |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160103231304/http://www.androidcentral.com/att-expand-north-american-coverage-area-mexico-carrier-iusacell-acquisition |archive-date=January 3, 2016 |access-date=January 1, 2016 |website=Android Central}}</ref> and two months later, it purchased the Mexican wireless business of NII Holdings.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 26, 2015 |title=AT&T to buy NII Holdings' wireless business in Mexico |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/26/us-niiholdings-divestment-at-t-idUSKBN0KZ17820150126 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150918215427/http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/26/us-niiholdings-divestment-at-t-idUSKBN0KZ17820150126 |archive-date=September 18, 2015 |access-date=January 1, 2016 |website=Reuters}}</ref> AT&T merged the two companies to create AT&T Mexico.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 16, 2015 |title=Report: AT&T in talks to tap Mexico towers |url=https://www.rcrwireless.com/20150616/carriers/report-att-in-talks-to-tap-mexico-towers-tag2 |access-date=June 30, 2020 |website=RCR Wireless News |language=en-US}}</ref>


In July 2015, AT&T purchased DirecTV for $48.5 billion.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 26, 2015 |title=AT&T Completes Acquisition of DirecTV |url=http://about.att.com/story/att_completes_acquisition_of_directv.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170129024321/http://about.att.com/story/att_completes_acquisition_of_directv.html |archive-date=January 29, 2017 |access-date=January 1, 2016 |website=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=July 24, 2015 |title=AT&T & DirecTV Merger Gets FCC Approval – With Conditions |url=https://deadline.com/2015/07/att-directv-merger-fcc-approval-1201484821/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150725013408/http://deadline.com/2015/07/att-directv-merger-fcc-approval-1201484821/ |archive-date=July 25, 2015 |access-date=July 24, 2015 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=July 24, 2015 |title=FCC approves AT&T–DirecTV merger |url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/7/24/8876267/att-directv-merger-approved |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150724230531/http://www.theverge.com/2015/7/24/8876267/att-directv-merger-approved |archive-date=July 24, 2015 |access-date=July 24, 2015 |website=The Verge |publisher=Vox Media}}</ref> AT&T then announced plans to converge its existing U-verse home internet and IPTV brands with DirecTV, to create AT&T Entertainment.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bode |first=Karl |date=December 2, 2015 |title=AT&T Plans on Killing the DirecTV Name Starting in January |url=http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/ATT-Plans-on-Killing-the-DirecTV-Name-Starting-in-January-135765 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208044449/http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/ATT-Plans-on-Killing-the-DirecTV-Name-Starting-in-January-135765 |archive-date=December 8, 2015 |access-date=December 2, 2015 |website=DSL Reports}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Farrell |first=Mike |date=December 2, 2015 |title=AT&T Enters Next Phase in DirecTV Branding |url=http://www.multichannel.com/news/distribution/att-enters-next-phase-directv-branding/395664 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151204094054/http://www.multichannel.com/news/distribution/att-enters-next-phase-directv-branding/395664 |archive-date=December 4, 2015 |access-date=December 3, 2015 |website=MultiChannel News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Littleton |first=Cynthia |date=April 26, 2016 |title=AT&T Sees DirecTV, Broadband Subscriber Gains in Q1 as U-verse Fades |url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/att-directv-u-verse-earnings-1201761111/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427151417/http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/att-directv-u-verse-earnings-1201761111/ |archive-date=April 27, 2016 |access-date=April 28, 2016 |website=Variety (magazine)|Variety}}</ref>
In late 2014, AT&T purchased Mexican cellular carrier Iusacell, and two months later, it purchased the Mexican wireless business of NII Holdings. AT&T merged the two companies to create AT&T Mexico.


On October 22, 2016, AT&T announced a deal to buy Time Warner for $108.7 billion in an effort to increase its media holdings.<ref name="discucssesideaholdings">{{Cite web |last1=Hammond |first1=Ed |last2=Sherman |first2=Alex |last3=Moritz |first3=Scott |date=October 20, 2016 |title=AT&T Discussed Idea of Takeover in Time Warner Meetings |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-20/at-t-said-to-discuss-idea-of-takeover-in-time-warner-meetings |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021013535/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-20/at-t-said-to-discuss-idea-of-takeover-in-time-warner-meetings |archive-date=October 21, 2016 |access-date=October 20, 2016 |website=Bloomberg}}</ref><ref name="asutotoincrease">{{Cite web |last=Yu |first=Robert |date=October 20, 2016 |title=Report: AT&T considering buying Time Warner |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/10/20/report-t-considering-buying-time-warner/92475270/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024233649/http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/10/20/report-t-considering-buying-time-warner/92475270/ |archive-date=October 24, 2016 |access-date=October 20, 2016 |website=USA Today}}</ref><ref name="advancedtalksa">{{Cite web |last1=Hagey |first1=Keach |last2=Sharma |first2=Amol |last3=Cimilluca |first3=Dana |date=October 21, 2016 |title=AT&T Is in Advanced Talks to Acquire Time Warner |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/at-t-is-in-advanced-talks-to-acquire-time-warner-1477061850 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022013505/http://www.wsj.com/articles/at-t-is-in-advanced-talks-to-acquire-time-warner-1477061850 |archive-date=October 22, 2016 |access-date=October 21, 2016 |website=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Yu |first=Roger |date=October 22, 2016 |title=AT&T agrees to buy Time Warner for more than $80B |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/10/22/reports-t-agrees-buy-time-warner-more-than-80b/92589816/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023013659/http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/10/22/reports-t-agrees-buy-time-warner-more-than-80b/92589816/ |archive-date=October 23, 2016 |access-date=October 22, 2016 |website=USA Today}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Gryta |first1=Thomas |last2=Hagey |first2=Keach |last3=Cimilluca |first3=Dana |date=October 22, 2016 |title=AT&T Reaches Deal to Buy Time Warner for $86 Billion |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/at-t-reaches-deal-to-buy-time-warner-for-more-than-80-billion-1477157084 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023013659/http://www.wsj.com/articles/at-t-reaches-deal-to-buy-time-warner-for-more-than-80-billion-1477157084 |archive-date=October 23, 2016 |access-date=October 22, 2016 |website=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Littleton |first=Cynthia |date=October 22, 2016 |title=AT&T Sets $85.4 Billion Time Warner Deal, CEOs Talk 'Unique' Potential of Combination |url=https://variety.com/2016/biz/news/att-time-warner-deal-1201897938/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023204133/http://variety.com/2016/biz/news/att-time-warner-deal-1201897938/ |archive-date=October 23, 2016 |access-date=October 23, 2016 |website=Variety (magazine)|Variety}}</ref>
In July 2015, AT&T purchased DirecTV for $48.5 billion. AT&T then announced plans to converge its existing U-verse home internet and IPTV brands with DirecTV, to create AT&T Entertainment.


AT&T also owns approximately a 2% stake in Canada|Canadian-domiciled entertainment company Lionsgate.<ref name="ATTinvestment">{{Cite web |date=September 22, 2016 |title=Starz Accepts Rate Cut as Lionsgate Offers Stock for New Deals with AT&T |url=https://deadline.com/2016/09/starz-rate-cut-lionsgate-offers-stock-new-deals-att-1201824620/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519224042/http://deadline.com/2016/09/starz-rate-cut-lionsgate-offers-stock-new-deals-att-1201824620/ |archive-date=May 19, 2017 |access-date=August 2, 2017 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref>
On October 22, 2016, AT&T announced a deal to buy Time Warner for $108.7 billion in an effort to increase its media holdings.


On July 13, 2017, it was reported that AT&T would introduce a cloud computing|cloud-based Digital video recorder|DVR streaming service as part of its effort to create a unified platform across DirecTV and its DirecTV Now streaming service, with AT&T U-verse|U-verse to be added soon.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lawler |first=Richard |date=July 13, 2017 |title=AT&T's 'next-gen' TV platform rollout will start on DirecTV Now |url=https://www.engadget.com/2017/07/13/att-directv-now-next-gen/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713131555/https://www.engadget.com/2017/07/13/att-directv-now-next-gen/ |archive-date=July 13, 2017 |access-date=July 13, 2017 |website=Engadget}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lieberman |first=David |date=July 13, 2017 |title=AT&T To Offer Cloud-Based DVR To Streaming Services |url=https://deadline.com/2017/07/att-offer-cloud-based-dvr-streaming-services-1202127918/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713153337/http://deadline.com/2017/07/att-offer-cloud-based-dvr-streaming-services-1202127918/ |archive-date=July 13, 2017 |access-date=July 13, 2017 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Frankel |first=Daniel |date=July 13, 2017 |title=DirecTV Now to finally get cloud DVR as part of AT&T video platform rollout |url=http://www.fiercecable.com/cable/directv-now-to-finally-get-cloud-dvr-as-part-at-t-video-platform-rollout |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170723024302/http://www.fiercecable.com/cable/directv-now-to-finally-get-cloud-dvr-as-part-at-t-video-platform-rollout |archive-date=July 23, 2017 |access-date=July 13, 2017 |website=Fierce Cable}}</ref> In October 2018, it was announced that the service would launch in 2019.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=FitzGerald |first1=Drew |last2=Flint |first2=Joe |date=October 10, 2018 |title=AT&T Streaming Video Service Is Set to Launch in 2019 |language=en-US |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/at-t-streaming-video-service-is-set-to-launch-in-2019-1539195487 |url-status=live |access-date=October 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011093303/https://www.wsj.com/articles/at-t-streaming-video-service-is-set-to-launch-in-2019-1539195487 |archive-date=October 11, 2018 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=AT&T's WarnerMedia is launching an 'HBO plus' streaming service in 2019 |work=The Verge |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/10/17960524/att-warnermedia-hbo-plus-streaming-service-q4-2019-warner-bros |url-status=live |access-date=October 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011013628/https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/10/17960524/att-warnermedia-hbo-plus-streaming-service-q4-2019-warner-bros |archive-date=October 11, 2018}}</ref> Named HBO Max, the service's release date was pushed to May 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Welch |first=Chris |date=July 9, 2019 |title=WarnerMedia confirms its Netflix rival will be called HBO Max |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/9/20687792/hbo-max-warnermedia-announcement-friends-streaming-details-subscription-service |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822095403/https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/9/20687792/hbo-max-warnermedia-announcement-friends-streaming-details-subscription-service |archive-date=August 22, 2019 |access-date=August 23, 2019 |website=The Verge}}</ref>
AT&T also owns approximately a 2% stake in Canada|Canadian-domiciled entertainment company Lionsgate.


On September 12, 2017, it was reported that AT&T planned to launch a new cable TV-like service for delivery over-the-top over its own or a competitor's broadband network sometime next year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Engebretson |first=Joan |date=September 12, 2017 |title=AT&T CEO: Bye-Bye DirecTV, Hello AT&T OTT Video |url=http://www.telecompetitor.com/att-ceo-bye-bye-directv-hello-att-ott-video/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170914035457/http://www.telecompetitor.com/att-ceo-bye-bye-directv-hello-att-ott-video/ |archive-date=September 14, 2017 |access-date=September 13, 2017 |website=Telecompetitor}}</ref>
On July 13, 2017, it was reported that AT&T would introduce a cloud computing|cloud-based Digital video recorder|DVR streaming service as part of its effort to create a unified platform across DirecTV and its DirecTV Now streaming service, with AT&T U-verse|U-verse to be added soon.< In October 2018, it was announced that the service would launch in 2019. Named HBO Max, the service's release date was pushed to May 2020.


On November 20, 2017, Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim filed a lawsuit for the United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division to block the merger with Time Warner, saying it "will harm competition, result in higher bills for consumers and less innovation."<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 20, 2017 |title=Justice Department sues to block AT&T-Time Warner merger |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/att-time-warner-merger-justice-department-antitrust/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171120225324/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/att-time-warner-merger-justice-department-antitrust/ |archive-date=November 20, 2017 |access-date=November 20, 2017 |website=CBS News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fung |first=Brian |date=November 21, 2017 |title=The Justice Department is suing AT&T to block its $85 billion bid for Time Warner |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/11/20/the-justice-department-just-sued-att-to-block-its-85-billion-bid-for-time-warner/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171121061809/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/11/20/the-justice-department-just-sued-att-to-block-its-85-billion-bid-for-time-warner/ |archive-date=November 21, 2017 |access-date=November 21, 2017 |website=The Washington Post}}</ref> In order for AT&T to fully acquire Time Warner, the Department of Justice stated that the company must divest either DirecTV or Turner Broadcasting System.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 8, 2017 |title=Is the AT&T merger with Time Warner being threatened because of a beef with CNN? |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/8/16624844/att-time-warner-merger-cnn-turner-broadcasting-network-department-of-justice-divestment-sale |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103074109/https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/8/16624844/att-time-warner-merger-cnn-turner-broadcasting-network-department-of-justice-divestment-sale |archive-date=January 3, 2018 |access-date=December 16, 2017 |website=TheVerge.com}}</ref>
On September 12, 2017, it was reported that AT&T planned to launch a new cable TV-like service for delivery over-the-top over its own or a competitor's broadband network sometime next year.


{{as of|2017}}, AT&T is the world's largest telecommunications company.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World's 25 Biggest Telecom Companies In 2017 |url=https://www.forbes.com/pictures/591b6ecf31358e03e559255f/2017-global-2000-telecom/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813114938/https://www.forbes.com/pictures/591b6ecf31358e03e559255f/2017-global-2000-telecom/ |archive-date=August 13, 2017 |access-date=May 25, 2017 |website=Forbes}}</ref> AT&T is also the largest provider of mobile telephone <ref name="AT&T">{{Cite web |date=July 24, 2019 |title=Financial and Operational Trends |url=https://investors.att.com/~/media/Files/A/ATT-IR/financial-reports/quarterly-earnings/2019/2q-2019/2Q19_Trending_Schedules.pdf |access-date=August 18, 2019 |publisher=AT&T}}</ref>
On November 20, 2017, Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim filed a lawsuit for the United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division to block the merger with Time Warner, saying it "will harm competition, result in higher bills for consumers and less innovation." In order for AT&T to fully acquire Time Warner, the Department of Justice stated that the company must divest either DirecTV or Turner Broadcasting System.
<ref name="Verizon Wireless">{{Cite web |date=June 30, 2019 |title=Financial and Operating Information |url=https://www.verizon.com/about/file/36103/download?token=R4-WHI7h |access-date=August 18, 2019 |publisher=Verizon}}</ref> services and the largest provider of telephone|fixed telephone services in the United States.<ref name="LRG">Leichtman Research Group, [http://www.leichtmanresearch.com/research/notes04_2012.pdf "Research Notes,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020173306/http://www.leichtmanresearch.com/research/notes04_2012.pdf |date=October 20, 2016}} First Quarter 2012, pg. 6, AT&T (#1) with 21,232,000 residential phone lines.</ref>


On March 7, 2018, the company prepared to sell a minority stake of DirecTV Latin America through an Initial public offering|IPO, creating a new holding company for those assets named Vrio Corp.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 7, 2018 |title=AT&T Inc. Announces Filing of a Registration Statement for Potential IPO of Minority Stake in DIRECTV Latin America |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180307005563/en/ATT-Announces-Filing-Registration-Statement-Potential-IPO |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315220828/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180307005563/en/ATT-Announces-Filing-Registration-Statement-Potential-IPO |archive-date=March 15, 2018 |access-date=March 14, 2018 |website=Business Wire}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=March 7, 2018 |title=AT&T's DirecTV Latin America Unit Files for IPO as Prelude to Possible Spinoff |url=https://variety.com/2018/biz/news/atts-directv-latin-america-ipo-spinoff-vrio-1202720505/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310070238/http://variety.com/2018/biz/news/atts-directv-latin-america-ipo-spinoff-vrio-1202720505/ |archive-date=March 10, 2018 |access-date=March 14, 2018 |website=Variety (magazine)|Variety}}</ref> However, on April 18, just a day before the public debut of Vrio, AT&T canceled the IPO due to market conditions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 18, 2018 |title=AT&T Inc. Statement Regarding Planned Vrio Corp. IPO |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/att-inc-statement-regarding-planned-vrio-corp-ipo-300632663.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615004650/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/att-inc-statement-regarding-planned-vrio-corp-ipo-300632663.html |archive-date=June 15, 2018 |access-date=June 14, 2018 |website=PR Newswire}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 19, 2018 |title=At the last minute, AT&T withdraws the planned IPO of its Vrio unit |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/19/at-the-last-minute-att-withdraws-the-planned-ipo-of-its-vrio-unit.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615004913/https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/19/at-the-last-minute-att-withdraws-the-planned-ipo-of-its-vrio-unit.html |archive-date=June 15, 2018 |access-date=June 14, 2018 |website=CNBC |agency=Reuters}}</ref>
{{as of|2017}}, AT&T is the world's largest telecommunications company. AT&T is also the largest provider of mobile telephone  services and the largest provider of telephone|fixed telephone services in the United States.


On June 12, 2018, AT&T was given permission by U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Leon to go ahead with its $85 billion deal for Time Warner. The DOJ had attempted to stop the merger, fearing it would harm competition.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ivanova |first=Irina |date=June 12, 2018 |title=Judge approves AT&T-Time Warner merger without conditions |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/att-time-warner-merger-approved-without-conditions-judge-rules-today-time-warner-stock-price-rises-in-after-hours-trading/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613041013/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/att-time-warner-merger-approved-without-conditions-judge-rules-today-time-warner-stock-price-rises-in-after-hours-trading/ |archive-date=June 13, 2018 |access-date=June 12, 2018 |website=CBS News}}</ref> The merger closed two days after, becoming a wholly owned subsidiary and division of AT&T with a new name, WarnerMedia, announced the next day.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 15, 2018 |title=AT&T Completes Acquisition of Time Warner Inc |url=http://about.att.com/story/att_completes_acquisition_of_time_warner_inc.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615011751/http://about.att.com/story/att_completes_acquisition_of_time_warner_inc.html |archive-date=June 15, 2018 |access-date=June 15, 2018 |website=AT&T}}</ref> The acquisition of WarnerMedia by AT&T took place on June 15, 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chmielewski |first=Dawn C. |date=June 14, 2018 |title=AT&T Completes $85B Acquisition Of Time Warner |url=https://deadline.com/2018/06/att-completes-time-warner-acquisition-1202411103/ |access-date=August 14, 2020 |website=Deadline |language=en}}</ref> Among other key assets, the acquisition of WarnerMedia by AT&T included the Warner Bros. Pictures film and television studios, U.S. cable/satellite channels such as, HBO, WarnerMedia Studios & Networks Group (Adult Swim, Boomerang (TV network)|Boomerang, Cartoon Network, CNN, TBS (American TV channel)|TBS, TNT (American TV network)|TNT, TruTV, and Turner Classic Movies), and 50% stake in The CW (partnered 50% state in ViacomCBS).
On March 7, 2018, the company prepared to sell a minority stake of DirecTV Latin America through an Initial public offering|IPO, creating a new holding company for those assets named Vrio Corp. However, on April 18, just a day before the public debut of Vrio, AT&T canceled the IPO due to market conditions.


Three months after completing the acquisition, AT&T reorganized into four main units: Communications, including consumer and business wireline telephony, AT&T Mobility, and consumer entertainment video services; WarnerMedia, including Turner cable television networks, Warner Bros. film and television production, and HBO; AT&T Latin America, consisting of wireless service in Mexico and video in Latin America and the Caribbean under the Vrio (company)|Vrio brand; and Advertising and Analytics, since renamed Xandr.<ref name="otp.tools.investis.com">{{Cite web |title=SEC-Show |url=https://otp.tools.investis.com/clients/us/atnt2/sec/sec-show.aspx?Type=html&FilingId=12972266&CIK=0000732717&Index=10000 |website=otp.tools.investis.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Betz |first=SA Editor Brandy |date=September 21, 2018 |title=AT&T revises segment structure on Time Warner buy |url=https://seekingalpha.com/news/3392053-t-revises-segment-structure-time-warner-buy |website=Seeking Alpha}}</ref>
On June 12, 2018, AT&T was given permission by U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Leon to go ahead with its $85 billion deal for Time Warner. The DOJ had attempted to stop the merger, fearing it would harm competition. The merger closed two days after, becoming a wholly owned subsidiary and division of AT&T with a new name, WarnerMedia, announced the next day. The acquisition of WarnerMedia by AT&T took place on June 15, 2018. Among other key assets, the acquisition of WarnerMedia by AT&T included the Warner Bros. Pictures film and television studios, U.S. cable/satellite channels such as, HBO, WarnerMedia Studios & Networks Group (Adult Swim, Boomerang (TV network)|Boomerang, Cartoon Network, CNN, TBS (American TV channel)|TBS, TNT (American TV network)|TNT, TruTV, and Turner Classic Movies), and 50% stake in The CW (partnered 50% state in ViacomCBS).


By 2019, AT&T had developed partnerships with health care providers to develop Internet of things#Medical and healthcare|mobile health-related connectivity devices that aid inpatient care. Key products include a telemetry device that monitors patient metrics, while toggling between WIFI and cellular connectivity.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Donovan |first=Fred |date=March 12, 2019 |title=AT&T, Nihon Kohden Expand Telemeter Wireless Networking Options |url=https://hitinfrastructure.com/news/att-nihon-kohden-expand-telemeter-wireless-networking-options |access-date=October 14, 2019 |website=Hit Infrastructure |publisher=Hit Infrastructure}}</ref>
Three months after completing the acquisition, AT&T reorganized into four main units: Communications, including consumer and business wireline telephony, AT&T Mobility, and consumer entertainment video services; WarnerMedia, including Turner cable television networks, Warner Bros. film and television production, and HBO; AT&T Latin America, consisting of wireless service in Mexico and video in Latin America and the Caribbean under the Vrio (company)|Vrio brand; and Advertising and Analytics, since renamed Xandr.


In September 2019, activist investor Elliott Management Corporation|Elliott Management revealed that it had purchased $3.2 billion of AT&T stock (a 1.2% equity interest), and had pushed for the company to divest assets to improve its share value.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Franck |first=Thomas |title=AT&T shares rally after activist Elliott Management takes $3.2 billion stake, sees stock worth $60 |date=September 9, 2019 |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/09/att-shares-jump-after-activist-elliot-management-takes-stake-sees-shares-nearly-doubling.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910011933/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/09/att-shares-jump-after-activist-elliot-management-takes-stake-sees-shares-nearly-doubling.html |archive-date=September 10, 2019 |access-date=September 9, 2019}}</ref>
By 2019, AT&T had developed partnerships with health care providers to develop Internet of things#Medical and healthcare|mobile health-related connectivity devices that aid inpatient care. Key products include a telemetry device that monitors patient metrics, while toggling between WIFI and cellular connectivity.


On March 4, 2020, AT&T announced its intent to perform major cost-cutting moves, including cuts to capital investment, and plans to promote AT&T TV (which officially launched nationally on March 2) as its primary pay television service offering. AT&T will still primarily promote DirecTV "where cable broadband is not prevalent", and as a specialty option.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brodkin |first=Jon |date=March 4, 2020 |title=Struggling AT&T plans "tens of billions" in cost cuts, more layoffs |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/03/struggling-att-plans-tens-of-billions-in-cost-cuts-more-layoffs/ |access-date=March 4, 2020 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref>
In September 2019, activist investor Elliott Management Corporation|Elliott Management revealed that it had purchased $3.2 billion of AT&T stock (a 1.2% equity interest), and had pushed for the company to divest assets to improve its share value.


On April 24, 2020, AT&T announced that effective July 1, 2020, company COO John Stankey would replace Randall L. Stephenson as CEO of AT&T.<ref name="newceo">{{Cite web |last=Feiner |first=Lauren |date=April 24, 2020 |title=AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson to step down, COO Stankey to take over |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/24/att-ceo-randall-stephenson-to-step-down.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925205448/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/24/att-ceo-randall-stephenson-to-step-down.html |archive-date=October 9, 2020 |website=CNBC}}</ref> It was also acknowledged that AT&T's acquisitions of DirecTV and Time Warner had by this point resulted in a massive debt burden of $200 billion for the company.<ref name="newceo" />
On March 4, 2020, AT&T announced its intent to perform major cost-cutting moves, including cuts to capital investment, and plans to promote AT&T TV (which officially launched nationally on March 2) as its primary pay television service offering. AT&T will still primarily promote DirecTV "where cable broadband is not prevalent", and as a specialty option.


As a result of planned cost cutting programs, the sale of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Xandr, DirecTV including AT&T U-Verse and AT&T TV {{small| (30% stake to TPG Capital)}}, Crunchyroll {{small| (to Sony Pictures' Funimation)}}, and Rooster Teeth were proposed. The planned sale of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment was abandoned after COVID-19 related growth in the Gaming industry, as well as a positive reception to upcoming DC Comics, Lego ''Star Wars,'' and ''Harry Potter'' titles from fans and critics. The other subsidiaries are still receiving bids as of September 1, 2020.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Ahmed |first1=Nabila |last2=Moritz |first2=Scott |date=September 1, 2020 |title=AT&T to Scrap Sale of Warner Bros. Video-Game Unit |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-01/at-t-is-said-to-scrap-sale-of-warner-bros-video-game-unit |url-status=live |access-date=October 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200904021610/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-01/at-t-is-said-to-scrap-sale-of-warner-bros-video-game-unit |archive-date=October 9, 2020}}</ref>
On April 24, 2020, AT&T announced that effective July 1, 2020, company COO John Stankey would replace Randall L. Stephenson as CEO of AT&T. It was also acknowledged that AT&T's acquisitions of DirecTV and Time Warner had by this point resulted in a massive debt burden of $200 billion for the company.


On December 25, 2020, 2020 Nashville bombing|a bombing in Nashville, Tennessee, caused AT&T service outages across the U.S., but primarily in Middle Tennessee. Cellular, wireline telephone, Internet, and AT&T U-verse|U-verse television services were affected due to infrastructure damage to an AT&T service facility located near the blast site.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 25, 2020 |last1=Gill |first1=Joey |last2=Posey |first2=Sebastian |title=AT&T outages across Tennessee, Kentucky affecting multiple 911 services |url=https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/att-outages-across-tennessee-kentucky-affecting-multiple-911-services/ |access-date=December 25, 2020 |website=WKRN News 2}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Timms |first=Mariah |date=December 25, 2020 |title=AT&T outage reported: Planes grounded, 911 disrupted in wake of Nashville explosion. See the outage map |publisher=The Tennessean |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2020/12/25/att-outage-internet-down-hours-after-nashville-explosion/4045278001/ |access-date=December 25, 2020}}</ref>
As a result of planned cost cutting programs, the sale of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Xandr, DirecTV including AT&T U-Verse and AT&T TV {{small| (30% stake to TPG Capital)}}, Crunchyroll {{small| (to Sony Pictures' Funimation)}}, and Rooster Teeth were proposed. The planned sale of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment was abandoned after COVID-19 related growth in the Gaming industry, as well as a positive reception to upcoming DC Comics, Lego ''Star Wars,'' and ''Harry Potter'' titles from fans and critics. The other subsidiaries are still receiving bids as of September 1, 2020.


In January 2021, AT&T announced that, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, around 300 jobs might get affected as it was planning to cut its workforce in Slovakia.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 18, 2021 |title=AT&T to cut Slovakia workforce, unions expect 300 jobs to go |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-at-t-slovakia-layoffs-idUSKBN29N0Z2 |access-date=January 18, 2021}}</ref>
On December 25, 2020, 2020 Nashville bombing|a bombing in Nashville, Tennessee, caused AT&T service outages across the U.S., but primarily in Middle Tennessee. Cellular, wireline telephone, Internet, and AT&T U-verse|U-verse television services were affected due to infrastructure damage to an AT&T service facility located near the blast site.


In May 2021, AT&T announced it will spin off WarnerMedia which will merge with Discovery, Inc. for $43 billion.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/17/media/warnermedia-discovery-deal/index.html|publisher=CNN|title=AT&T spins off WarnerMedia, combines it with Discovery|date=17 May 2021|first=Brian|last=Stelter}}</ref>
In January 2021, AT&T announced that, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, around 300 jobs might get affected as it was planning to cut its workforce in Slovakia.


In May 2021, AT&T announced it will spin off WarnerMedia which will merge with Discovery, Inc. for $43 billion.
==AT&T Latin America==
==AT&T Latin America==
{{Infobox company
{{Infobox company

Revision as of 07:16, 31 May 2021

AT&T Inc. is an American multinational corporation|multinational conglomerate (company)|conglomerate holding company, Delaware General Corporation Law|Delaware-registered but it is headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the world’s largest telecommunications company, and the second largest provider of mobile telephone services. Template:As of, AT&T was ranked 9th on the Fortune 500|Fortune 500 rankings of the largest United States corporations, with revenues of $181 billion.

During most of the 20th century, AT&T had a monopoly on phone service in the United States. The company began its history as the American District Telegraph Company, formed in St. Louis in 1878. After expanding services to Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, through a series of mergers, it became Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in 1920, which was then a subsidiary of American Telephone and Telegraph Company. The latter was a successor of the original Bell Telephone Company founded by Alexander Graham Bell in 1877. The American Bell Telephone Company formed the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) subsidiary in 1885. In 1899, AT&T became the parent company after the American Bell Telephone Company sold its assets to its subsidiary. The company was rebranded as AT&T Corporation|AT&T Corp. in 1994. The 1982 United States v. AT&T antitrust lawsuit resulted in the Breakup of the Bell System|divestiture of AT&T's ("Ma Bell") local operating subsidiaries which were grouped into seven Regional Bell Operating Company|Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs), commonly referred to as "Baby Bells", resulting in seven independent companies, The latter changed its name to SBC Communications Inc. in 1995. In 2005, SBC purchased its former parent AT&T Corp. and took on its branding, with the merged entity naming itself AT&T Inc. and using its history, a version of its iconic logo and stock-trading symbol. AT&T Inc. acquired BellSouth|BellSouth Corporation in 2006, the last independent Baby Bell company, making its formerly joint venture Cingular|Cingular Wireless (which had acquired AT&T Wireless in 2004) wholly owned and rebranding it as AT&T Mobility.

The current AT&T Breakup of the Bell System#Evolution of the Baby Bells|reconstitutes much of the former Bell System, and includes four of the seven “Baby Bells” along with the original AT&T Corp., including the AT&T Communications|long-distance division.

History

Template:Further

Origin and growth (1885–1981)

AT&T was founded as Bell Telephone Company by Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas A. Watson|Thomas Watson, Gardiner Greene Hubbard, and Thomas Sanders after Bell's patenting of the telephone in 1875. By 1881, Bell Telephone Company had become the American Bell Telephone Company. One of its subsidiaries was the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T), established in 1885. On December 30, 1899, AT&T acquired the assets of its parent American Bell Telephone, becoming the new parent company. AT&T established a network of local telephone subsidiaries in the United States. AT&T and its subsidiaries held a phone service monopoly, authorized in 1913 by government authorities with the Kingsbury Commitment, throughout most of the twentieth century. This monopoly was known as the Bell System, and during this period, AT&T was also known by the nickname Ma Bell.

Breakup and reformation (1982–2004)

In 1982, U.S. Breakup_of_the_Bell_System|regulators broke up the AT&T monopoly, requiring AT&T to divest its local subsidiaries, which it did by grouping them into seven individual companies. These new companies were known as Regional Bell Operating Companies, or more informally, Baby Bells. AT&T continued to operate long-distance services but faced increasing competition from overseas supplied competitors such as MCI Communications|MCI and Sprint Corporation|Sprint.

Southwestern Bell Corporation (SBC) was one of the companies created by the breakup of AT&T Corp. The company soon started a series of acquisitions, including the 1987 acquisition of Metromedia mobile business and the acquisition of several cable companies in the early 1990s.Template:Citation needed In the latter half of the 1990s, the company acquired several other telecommunications companies, including two Baby Bells (Pacific_Telesis|Pacific Telesis Group and Ameritech|Ameritech Corporation), while selling its cable business. During this time, the company changed its name to SBC Communications Inc. By 1998, the company was in the top 15 of the Fortune 500, and by 1999 the company was part of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (lasting through 2015).

Purchase of former parent and acquisitions (2005–2014)

On November 18, 2005, SBC Communications, Inc.based in San Antonio, purchased AT&T Corp. for $16 billion. After this purchase, SBC adopted the better-known AT&T name and brand, with the original AT&T Corp. still existing as the long-distance landline subsidiary of the merged company. but retains SBC’s 1983-2005 corporate structure and pre-2005 stock price history.

AT&T made History of AT&T#2011: Attempted acquisition of T-Mobile USA|an attempt in 2011 to purchase T-Mobile for a $39 billion stock and cash offer. The bid was withdrawn after the takeover company was faced with significant regulatory and legal hurdles, along with heavy resistance from the U.S. government. As per the original acquisition agreement, T-Mobile received $3 billion in cash as well as access to $1 billion worth of AT&T-held wireless spectrum.

In September 2013, AT&T announced it would expand into Latin America through a collaboration with América Móvil. In December 2013, AT&T announced plans to sell its Connecticut wireline operations to Stamford-based Frontier Communications.

AT&T acquired BellSouth|BellSouth Corporation on December 29, 2006 following Federal_Communications_Commission|FCC approval. The transaction consolidated ownership and management of Cingular Wireless. AT&T rebranded its wireless retail stores from Cingular to AT&T in January 2007.

Recent developments (2014–present)

In late 2014, AT&T purchased Mexican cellular carrier Iusacell, and two months later, it purchased the Mexican wireless business of NII Holdings. AT&T merged the two companies to create AT&T Mexico.

In July 2015, AT&T purchased DirecTV for $48.5 billion. AT&T then announced plans to converge its existing U-verse home internet and IPTV brands with DirecTV, to create AT&T Entertainment.

On October 22, 2016, AT&T announced a deal to buy Time Warner for $108.7 billion in an effort to increase its media holdings.

AT&T also owns approximately a 2% stake in Canada|Canadian-domiciled entertainment company Lionsgate.

On July 13, 2017, it was reported that AT&T would introduce a cloud computing|cloud-based Digital video recorder|DVR streaming service as part of its effort to create a unified platform across DirecTV and its DirecTV Now streaming service, with AT&T U-verse|U-verse to be added soon.< In October 2018, it was announced that the service would launch in 2019. Named HBO Max, the service's release date was pushed to May 2020.

On September 12, 2017, it was reported that AT&T planned to launch a new cable TV-like service for delivery over-the-top over its own or a competitor's broadband network sometime next year.

On November 20, 2017, Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim filed a lawsuit for the United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division to block the merger with Time Warner, saying it "will harm competition, result in higher bills for consumers and less innovation." In order for AT&T to fully acquire Time Warner, the Department of Justice stated that the company must divest either DirecTV or Turner Broadcasting System.

Template:As of, AT&T is the world's largest telecommunications company. AT&T is also the largest provider of mobile telephone services and the largest provider of telephone|fixed telephone services in the United States.

On March 7, 2018, the company prepared to sell a minority stake of DirecTV Latin America through an Initial public offering|IPO, creating a new holding company for those assets named Vrio Corp. However, on April 18, just a day before the public debut of Vrio, AT&T canceled the IPO due to market conditions.

On June 12, 2018, AT&T was given permission by U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Leon to go ahead with its $85 billion deal for Time Warner. The DOJ had attempted to stop the merger, fearing it would harm competition. The merger closed two days after, becoming a wholly owned subsidiary and division of AT&T with a new name, WarnerMedia, announced the next day. The acquisition of WarnerMedia by AT&T took place on June 15, 2018. Among other key assets, the acquisition of WarnerMedia by AT&T included the Warner Bros. Pictures film and television studios, U.S. cable/satellite channels such as, HBO, WarnerMedia Studios & Networks Group (Adult Swim, Boomerang (TV network)|Boomerang, Cartoon Network, CNN, TBS (American TV channel)|TBS, TNT (American TV network)|TNT, TruTV, and Turner Classic Movies), and 50% stake in The CW (partnered 50% state in ViacomCBS).

Three months after completing the acquisition, AT&T reorganized into four main units: Communications, including consumer and business wireline telephony, AT&T Mobility, and consumer entertainment video services; WarnerMedia, including Turner cable television networks, Warner Bros. film and television production, and HBO; AT&T Latin America, consisting of wireless service in Mexico and video in Latin America and the Caribbean under the Vrio (company)|Vrio brand; and Advertising and Analytics, since renamed Xandr.

By 2019, AT&T had developed partnerships with health care providers to develop Internet of things#Medical and healthcare|mobile health-related connectivity devices that aid inpatient care. Key products include a telemetry device that monitors patient metrics, while toggling between WIFI and cellular connectivity.

In September 2019, activist investor Elliott Management Corporation|Elliott Management revealed that it had purchased $3.2 billion of AT&T stock (a 1.2% equity interest), and had pushed for the company to divest assets to improve its share value.

On March 4, 2020, AT&T announced its intent to perform major cost-cutting moves, including cuts to capital investment, and plans to promote AT&T TV (which officially launched nationally on March 2) as its primary pay television service offering. AT&T will still primarily promote DirecTV "where cable broadband is not prevalent", and as a specialty option.

On April 24, 2020, AT&T announced that effective July 1, 2020, company COO John Stankey would replace Randall L. Stephenson as CEO of AT&T. It was also acknowledged that AT&T's acquisitions of DirecTV and Time Warner had by this point resulted in a massive debt burden of $200 billion for the company.

As a result of planned cost cutting programs, the sale of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Xandr, DirecTV including AT&T U-Verse and AT&T TV Template:Small, Crunchyroll Template:Small, and Rooster Teeth were proposed. The planned sale of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment was abandoned after COVID-19 related growth in the Gaming industry, as well as a positive reception to upcoming DC Comics, Lego Star Wars, and Harry Potter titles from fans and critics. The other subsidiaries are still receiving bids as of September 1, 2020.

On December 25, 2020, 2020 Nashville bombing|a bombing in Nashville, Tennessee, caused AT&T service outages across the U.S., but primarily in Middle Tennessee. Cellular, wireline telephone, Internet, and AT&T U-verse|U-verse television services were affected due to infrastructure damage to an AT&T service facility located near the blast site.

In January 2021, AT&T announced that, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, around 300 jobs might get affected as it was planning to cut its workforce in Slovakia.

In May 2021, AT&T announced it will spin off WarnerMedia which will merge with Discovery, Inc. for $43 billion.

AT&T Latin America

Template:Infobox company

AT&T Latin America (formerly AT&T International, Inc.) is a wholly owned division of AT&T which operates in Mexico and 11 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2017, AT&T announced a new AT&T International corporate division housing AT&T Mexico, DirecTV Latin America and their stakes of SKY Brazil and Sky Mexico.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In October 2016, AT&T announced a deal to acquire Time Warner worth $85.4 billion (including assumed Time Warner debt). The proposed deal would give AT&T significant holdings in the media industry; AT&T's competitor Comcast had previously acquired NBCUniversal in a similar bid to increase its media holdings, in concert with its ownership of television and internet providers. If approved by federal regulators, the merger would bring Time Warner's properties under the same umbrella as AT&T's telecommunication holdings, including satellite provider DirecTV.<ref name="advancedtalksa" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

By the end of July, the company announced that, effective August 1, a new structure was created before the acquisition would close. On September 15, 2017, Reuters reported, citing anonymous sources, that AT&T, the owner of DIRECTV's U.S. and Latin American divisions, had hired an advisor to consider offering AT&T Latin America on the public stock market. In November 2017, the United States Department of Justice|U.S. Justice Department said it was moving to sue to block the AT&T-Time Warner merger.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On November 20, 2017, the Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit over the acquisition; Makan Delrahim stated that the deal would "greatly harm American consumers". AT&T asserts that this suit is a "radical and inexplicable departure from decades of antitrust precedent".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On December 22, 2017, the merger agreement deadline was extended to June 21, 2018.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On April 19, 2018, the IPO was cancelled. On June 12, 2018, the AT&T-Time Warner merger was approved by a federal judge.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Two days later, AT&T completed the acquisition of Time Warner, and a day later, the company was renamed WarnerMedia.

On September 21, 2018, AT&T reclassified its four principal divisions which include AT&T International which now have some assets moved out like the RSNs, and also merging Consumer Mobility, Technology, and Business Mobility and renamed the company as AT&T Latin America.<ref name="otp.tools.investis.com" />

In October 2019, AT&T Latin America announced its intention to sell their Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands operations to Liberty Latin America, as a result of shareholder pressure from Elliott Management.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Landline operating companies

Of the eight companies that were part of the Breakup of the Bell System, these five are a part of the current AT&T:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

  • Ameritech, acquired by SBC in 1999
  • AT&T Corp., acquired by SBC in 2005
  • BellSouth, acquired by AT&T in 2006
  • Pacific Telesis, acquired by SBC in 1997
  • Southwestern Bell, rebranded as SBC Communications in 1995

Chart of AT&T Baby Bells

Template:Main Template:AT&T chart

Former operating companies

The following companies have become defunct or were sold under SBC/AT&T ownership:

  • Southern New England Telephone: sold to Frontier Communications in 2014<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
    • Woodbury Telephone: merged into Southern New England Telephone on June 1, 2007.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Decline of rural landlines

Of the Baby Bells, Ameritech sold some of its Wisconsin landlines to CenturyTel, in 1998; BellSouth sold some of its lines to MebTel, during the 2000s; US West|U S WEST sold many historically Bell landlines to Lynch Communications and Pacific Telecom, in the 1990s; Verizon sold many of its Verizon New England|New England lines to FairPoint Communications|FairPoint, in 2008, and its Frontier West Virginia|West Virginia operations to Frontier Communications, in 2010.

On October 25, 2014, Frontier Communications took over control of the AT&T landline network in Connecticut after being approved by state utility regulators. The deal was worth about $2 billion, and included Frontier inheriting about 2,500 of AT&T's employees and many of AT&T's buildings.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Corporate structure

File:AT&TOrange.JPG|thumb|AT&T office in San Antonio, Texas

Facilities and regions

Template:Expand section The company is headquartered at Whitacre Tower in downtown Dallas, Texas.<ref name="Jbodonkor" /> On June 27, 2008, AT&T announced that it would move its corporate headquarters from downtown San Antonio to One AT&T Plaza in downtown Dallas.<ref name="Jbodonkor" /><ref>"Corporate Inquiries Template:Webarchive." AT&T. Retrieved March 25, 2009.</ref> The company said that it moved to gain better access to its customers and operations throughout the world, and to the key technology partners, suppliers, innovation and human resources needed as it continues to grow, domestically and internationally.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> AT&T Inc. previously relocated its corporate headquarters to San Antonio from St. Louis, Missouri, in 1992, when it was then named Southwestern Bell Corporation. The company's Telecom Operations group, which serves residential and regional business customers in 22 U.S. states, remains in San Antonio.Template:Citation needed Atlanta, Georgia, continues to be the headquarters for AT&T Mobility, with significant offices in Redmond, Washington, the former home of AT&T Wireless Services|AT&T Wireless. Bedminster, New Jersey, is the headquarters for the company's Global Business Services group and AT&T Labs and is where the original AT&T Corp. remains located. St. Louis continues as home to the company's Directory operations, AT&T Advertising Solutions.<ref>AT&T – News Room (June 27, 2008). AT&T Corporate Headquarters to Move to Dallas Template:Webarchive. Press release. Retrieved June 27, 2008.</ref> As announced by its predecessor Time Warner in 2013, WarnerMedia, an AT&T subsidiary acquired in 2016, is headquartered in the 30 Hudson Yards tower, located in New York City.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

AT&T also offers services in many locations throughout the Asia-Pacific|Asia Pacific; its regional headquarters is located in Hong Kong.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The company is also active in Mexico, and on November 7, 2014, it was announced that Mexican carrier Iusacell would be acquired by AT&T.<ref name="androidcentral.com" /> The acquisition was approved in January 2015.Template:Citation needed<ref>Roger Cheng, CNET. "Done deal: AT&T closes $2.5 billion purchase of Mexico's Iusacell Template:Webarchive." January 16, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2018.</ref><ref>Phil Goldstein, FierceWireless. "AT&T closes $2.5B deal for Mexican operator Iusacell Template:Webarchive." January 16, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2018.</ref> On April 30, 2015, AT&T acquired wireless operations Nextel Mexico from NII Holdings (now AT&T Mexico).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Corporate governance

File:Randall Stephenson, CEO of AT&T.jpg|thumb|CEO Randall L. Stephenson at the 2008 World Economic Forum Template:See also AT&T's current board of directors Template:As of:<ref name="bodirectorso">Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Columns-list

The current management Template:As of includes:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

  • John Stankey – Chief Executive Officer|CEO
  • Ed Gillespie – senior executive vice president of external and legislative affairs
  • David S. Huntley – senior executive vice president and chief compliance officer
  • Jason Kilar – chief executive officer of WarnerMedia
  • Lori Lee – chief executive officer of AT&T Latin America and global marketing officer
  • Jeff McElfresh - chief executive officer of AT&T Communications
  • David R. McAtee II – senior executive vice president and general counsel
  • Angela Santone – senior executive vice president of human resources
  • Pascal Desroches - Chief financial officer|CFO

Political involvement

Template:Update section According to the Center for Responsive Politics, AT&T was the fourteenth-largest donor to United States federal political campaigns and committees from 1989 to 2019,<ref name="osorghh2011">Template:Cite web</ref> having contributed more than Template:US$, 58% of which went to Republican Party (United States)|Republicans and 42% of which went to Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats. As an example, in 2005, AT&T was among 53 entities that contributed the maximum of $250,000 to the second inauguration of President George W. Bush.<ref name="drinkard2005">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="usatoday25may2008">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="AP25may2005">Template:Cite news</ref> Bill Leahy, representing AT&T, sits on the Private Enterprise Board of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> ALEC is a nonprofit organization of conservatism in the United States|conservative state legislature (United States)|state legislators and private sector representatives that drafts and shares model state-level legislation for distribution among state governments in the United States.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="fcir">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

During the period of 1998 to 2019, the company expended Template:US$ on lobbying in the United States.<ref name="osorgatt2019">Template:Cite web</ref> A key political issue for AT&T has been the question of which businesses win the right to profit by providing broadband internet access in the United States.<ref name="osorgatt2007">Template:Cite web</ref> The company has also lobbied in support of several federal bills. AT&T supported the Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act of 2013 (H.R. 3675; 113th Congress), a bill that would make a number of changes to procedures that the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) follows in its rulemaking processes.<ref name="3675cbo">Template:Cite web</ref> The FCC would have to act in a more transparent way as a result of this bill, forced to accept public input about regulations.<ref name="PeteVotesTransparency">Template:Cite news</ref> AT&T's Executive Vice President of Federal Relations, Tim McKone, said that the bill's "much needed institutional reforms will help arm the agency with the tools to keep pace with the Internet speed of today's marketplace. It will also ensure that outmoded regulatory practices for today's competitive marketplace are properly placed in the dustbin of history."<ref name="ATTblog">Template:Cite web</ref>

In May 2018, reports emerged that AT&T made 12 monthly payments between January and December 2017 to Essential Consultants, a company set up by President Donald Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen (lawyer)|Michael Cohen, totaling $600,000.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Although initial reports on May 8 mentioned only four monthly payments totaling $200,000,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> documents obtained by the The Washington Post|Washington Post on May 10 confirmed the figure of 12 payments, which had begun three days after the President was Inauguration of Donald Trump|sworn into office.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> AT&T confirmed the report the same day.<ref name=":02">Template:Cite news</ref> The report from The Washington Post, as well as additional reporting from Bloomberg News|Bloomberg, revealed the payments had been made for Cohen to "provide guidance" relating to the attempted $85 billion merger with Time Warner,<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> to gain information on the Trump administration's planned tax reforms, as well as about potential changes to Net neutrality in the United States|net neutrality policies under the new FCC.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, Chairman of the FCC Ajit Pai denied Cohen ever inquired about net neutrality on AT&T's behalf.<ref name=":02" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A spokesperson for AT&T said that the company had been contacted by Special Counsel investigation (2017–present)|the Special Counsel investigation led by Robert Mueller regarding the payments, and had provided all the information requested in November and December 2017.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In early 2019, the Democratic United States House Committee on the Judiciary|House Judiciary requested records related to the AT&T-Time Warner merger from the White House.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Historical financial performance

The financial performance of the company is reported to shareholders on an annual basis and a matter of public record. Where performance has been restated, the most recent statement of performance from an annual report is used.<ref name="AR-2015">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="AR-2014">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="10K">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite report</ref><ref>Template:Cite report</ref><ref>Template:Cite report</ref><ref>Template:Cite report</ref>

Performance measurements, by year
Measurement 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Revenues (billion USD) 45.38 43.14 40.50 40.79 43.86 63.06 118.9 124.0 122.5 124.8 126.7 127.4 128.8 132.4 146.8 163.8 160.5 170.8 181.2
Net Income (billion USD) 7.008 5.653 8.505 5.887 4.786 7.356 11.95 12.87 12.14 19.86 3.944 7.264 18.25 6.224 13.69 13.33 29.85 19.37 13.90
Assets (billion USD) 96.42 95.17 102.0 110.3 145.6 270.6 275.6 265.2 268.3 268.5 270.3 272.3 277.8 292.8 402.7 403.8 444.1 531.9 551.7
Number of employees (thousands) 193.4 175.0 168.0 162.7 190.0 304.2 309.1 302.7 282.7 266.6 256.4 241.8 243.4 243.6 281.5 268.5 254.0 268.2 247.8

Criticism and controversies

Hemisphere database

Template:Main The company maintains a database of call detail records of all telephone calls that have passed through its network since 1987. AT&T employees work at High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area offices (operated by the Office of National Drug Control Policy) in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Houston so data can be quickly turned over to law enforcement agencies. Records are requested via an administrative subpoena, without the involvement of a court or grand jury.

Censorship

In September 2007, AT&T changed its legal policy to state that "AT&T may immediately terminate or suspend all or a portion of your Service, any Member ID, electronic mail address, IP address, Universal Resource Locator or domain name used by you, without notice for conduct that AT&T believes ... (c) tends to damage the name or reputation of AT&T, or its parents, affiliates and subsidiaries."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> By October 10, 2007, AT&T had altered the terms and conditions for its Internet service to explicitly support freedom of expression by its subscribers, after an outcry claiming the company had given itself the right to censor its subscribers' transmissions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Privacy controversy

File:Page9-SER klein exhibits.jpg|thumb|Diagram of how alleged wiretapping worked, from Electronic Frontier Foundation|EFF court filings<ref name=kleinex/> Template:Further In 2006, the Electronic Frontier Foundation lodged the class action lawsuit Hepting v. AT&T, which alleged that AT&T had allowed agents of the National Security Agency (NSA) to monitor phone and Internet communications of AT&T customers without warrants. If true, this would violate the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 and the First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First and Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Fourth Amendments of the United States Constitution|U.S. Constitution. AT&T has yet to confirm or deny that monitoring by the NSA is occurring. In April 2006, retired former AT&T technician Mark Klein lodged an affidavit supporting this allegation.<ref>Nakashima, Ellen, "A Story of Surveillance" Template:Webarchive, The Washington Post, November 7, 2007</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Department of Justice stated it would intervene in this lawsuit by means of State Secrets Privilege.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

In July 2006, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California – in which the suit was filed – rejected a federal government motion to dismiss the case. The motion to dismiss, which invoked the State Secrets Privilege, had argued that any court review of the alleged partnership between the federal government and AT&T would harm national security. The case was immediately appealed to the Ninth Circuit. It was dismissed on June 3, 2009, citing retroactive legislation in the FISA Amendments Act|Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Arshad Mohammed, Washington Post. "Judge Declines to Dismiss Lawsuit Against AT&T Template:Webarchive." July 21, 2006. Retrieved January 4, 2018.</ref>

In May 2006, USA Today reported that all international and domestic calling records had been handed over to the National Security Agency by AT&T, Verizon, SBC, and BellSouth for the purpose of creating a massive NSA call database|calling database.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The portions of the new AT&T that had been part of SBC Communications before November 18, 2005, were not mentioned.

On June 21, 2006, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that AT&T had rewritten rules on its privacy policy. The policy, which took effect June 23, 2006, says that "AT&T – not customers – owns customers' confidential info and can use it 'to protect its legitimate business interests, safeguard others, or respond to legal process.'"<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On August 22, 2007, National Intelligence Director John Michael McConnell|Mike McConnell confirmed that AT&T was one of the telecommunications companies that assisted with the government's warrantless wire-tapping program on calls between foreign and domestic sources.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On November 8, 2007, Mark Klein, a former AT&T technician, told Keith Olbermann of MSNBC that all Internet traffic passing over AT&T lines was copied into Room 641A|a locked room at the company's San Francisco office – to which only employees with National Security Agency clearance had access.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

AT&T keeps for five to seven years a record of who text messages whom and the date and time, but not the content of the messages.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

AT&T has a one star privacy rating from the Electronic Frontier Foundation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Copyright enforcement

In January 2008, reports emerged that the company planned to begin filtering all Internet traffic which passed through its network for intellectual property violations.<ref name="Wu">Template:Cite web</ref> Media commentators speculated that if this plan was implemented, it would have led to a mass exodus of subscribers from AT&T,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> although Internet traffic of non-subscribers may have gone through the company's network anyway.<ref name=Wu/> Internet freedom proponents used these developments as justification for government-mandated network neutrality.

Under AT&T’s current copyright enforcement program, content owners may notify AT&T when they allege unlawful sharing of material. The program is based on IP addresses visible to content owners in peer-to-peer networks, not on filtering. AT&T has terminated the broadband service of some customers accused of copyright infringement.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Discrimination against local public-access television channels

In 2009 AT&T was accused by community media groups of discriminating against local public, educational, and government access (PEG) cable TV channels, by "impictions that will severely restrict the audience".<ref name="dn10">(March 9, 2009) "AT&T Accused of Discriminating Against Local Public Access Channels, Deadline for Public Comment Expires Tonight" Template:Webarchive, Democracy Now!. Retrieved March 13, 2009.</ref>

According to Barbara Popovic, executive director of the Chicago public-access service Chicago Access Network Television|CAN-TV, the new AT&T U-verse system forced all Public-access television into a special menu system, denying normal functionality such as channel numbers, access to the standard program guide, and DVR recording.<ref name="dn10" /> The Ratepayer Advocates division of the California Public Utilities Commission reported: "Instead of putting the stations on individual channels, AT&T has bundled community stations into a generic channel that can only be navigated through a complex and lengthy process."<ref name="dn10" />

Sue Buske (president of telecommunications consulting firm the Buske Group and a former head of the National Federation of Local Cable Programmers/Alliance for Community Media) argue that this is "an overall attack [...] on public access across the [United States], the place in the dial around cities and communities where people can make their own media in their own communities".<ref name="dn10" />

Information security

In June 2010, a hacker group known as Goatse Security discovered a Vulnerability (computing)|vulnerability within AT&T that could allow anyone to uncover email addresses belonging to customers of AT&T 3G service for the Apple Inc.|Apple iPad.<ref name="computerworld1">Template:Cite news</ref> These email addresses could be accessed without a protective password.<ref name="computerworld2-2">Template:Cite news</ref> Using a script, Goatse Security collected thousands of email addresses from AT&T.<ref name="computerworld1" /> Goatse Security informed AT&T about the security flaw through a third party.<ref name="computerworld2-1">Template:Cite news</ref> Goatse Security then disclosed around 114,000 of these emails to Gawker Media, which published an article about the security flaw and disclosure in Valleywag.<ref name="computerworld1" /><ref name="computerworld2-1" /> Praetorian Security Group criticized the web application that Goatse Security exploited as "poorly designed".<ref name="computerworld1" />

In April 2015, AT&T was fined $25 million over data security breaches, marking the largest ever fine issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for breaking data privacy laws. The investigation revealed the theft of details of approximately 280,000 people from call centres in Mexico, Colombia and the Philippines.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Accusations of enabling fraud

In March 2012, the United States federal government announced a lawsuit against AT&T. The specific accusations state that AT&T "violated the False Claims Act by facilitating and seeking federal payment for IP Relay calls by international callers who were ineligible for the service and sought to use it for fraudulent purposes. The complaint alleges that, out of fears that fraudulent call volume would drop after the registration deadline, AT&T knowingly adopted a non-compliant registration system that did not verify whether the user was located within the United States. The complaint further contends that AT&T continued to employ this system even with the knowledge that it facilitated the use of IP Relay by fraudulent foreign callers, which accounted for up to 95 percent of AT&T's call volume. The government's complaint alleges that AT&T improperly billed the TRS Fund for reimbursement of these calls and received millions of dollars in federal payments as a result."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2013, AT&T entered into a consent decree with the FCC and paid a total of $21.75 million.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Racism

On April 28, 2015, AT&T announced that it had fired Aaron Slator, President of Content and Advertising Sales, for sending racist text messages.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Slator was also hit with a $100 million discrimination lawsuit, filed by African-American employee Knoyme King.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The day before that, protesters arrived at AT&T's headquarters in Dallas and its satellite offices in Los Angeles as well as at the home of CEO Randall Stephenson to protest alleged systemic racial policies. According to accounts, the protesters demanded that AT&T begin working with 100% black-owned media companies.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On January 24, 2017, Slator sued AT&T in the Los Angeles County Superior Court|Los Angeles Superior Court, accusing the company of defamation and wrongful termination. Slator had been involved in organizing AT&T's planned $48.5 billion acquisition of DirecTV since 2014, and he claimed that when news headlines speculated that his text messages could prevent the acquisition from going through, he was fired as a "scapegoat" by company executives. He also claimed that the executives had known about the text messages since at least late 2013, and had promised him at the time that he would not be fired for them.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The company stood by its decision to terminate Slator.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Overcharging government agencies

In 2020 AT&T paid out $48 million to settle a lawsuit with 30 government entities. The suit (under the California False Claims Act) related to contractual undertakings to provide services at "the lowest cost available". AT&T denied any wrongdoing in the matter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Naming rights and sponsorships

Buildings

File:Att-midtown-center-atlanta.jpg|thumb|AT&T Midtown Center in Atlanta, Georgia

  • Whitacre Tower (One AT&T Plaza) – corporate headquarters, Dallas, Texas
  • AT&T 220 Building – building in Indianapolis, Indiana
  • AT&T Building (Detroit)|AT&T Building – building in Detroit, Michigan
  • AT&T Building (Indianapolis)|AT&T Building – building in Indianapolis, Indiana
  • AT&T Building (Kingman, Arizona)|AT&T Building – building in Kingman, Arizona
  • AT&T Building (Nashville)|AT&T Building – (aka "The Batman Building") in Nashville, Tennessee
  • AT&T Building (Omaha)|AT&T Building – building in Omaha, Nebraska
  • AT&T Building Addition (Detroit)|AT&T Building Addition – building in Detroit, Michigan
  • AT&T Building (San Diego)|AT&T Building – building in San Diego
  • AT&T Center (Los Angeles)|AT&T Center – building in Los Angeles
  • AT&T Center (St. Louis)|AT&T Center – building in St. Louis, Missouri
  • AT&T City Center – building in Birmingham, Alabama
  • AT&T Corporate Center – building in Chicago, Illinois
  • AT&T Huron Road Building – building in Cleveland, Ohio
  • AT&T Lenox Park (DeKalb County, Georgia)|Lenox Park Campus – AT&T Mobility Headquarters in DeKalb County just outside Atlanta, Georgia
  • AT&T Midtown Center – building in Atlanta, Georgia
  • AT&T Switching Center – building in Los Angeles
  • AT&T Switching Center – building in Oakland, California
  • AT&T Switching Center – building in San Francisco
  • AT&T Tower (Minneapolis)|AT&T Tower – building in Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • AT&T Building – building in Meriden, Connecticut
  • AT&T Entertainment Group HQ – DirecTV corporate campus in El Segundo, California

Venues

File:Texasdd.JPG|thumb|AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas

  • AT&T Center – San Antonio, Texas (formerly SBC Center)
  • AT&T Field – Chattanooga, Tennessee (formerly BellSouth Park)
  • AT&T Plaza – Chicago, Illinois (public space that hosts the Cloud Gate sculpture in Millennium Park)
  • American Airlines Center|AT&T Plaza – Dallas, Texas (plaza in front of the American Airlines Center at Victory Park, Dallas, Texas|Victory Park)
  • AT&T Performing Arts Center – Dallas, Texas
  • AT&T Stadium – Arlington, Texas (formerly Dallas Cowboys Stadium)
  • AT&T Stadium – Glen Jean, West Virginia (outdoor open-seating stadium at the Boy Scouts of America's The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve|Summit Bechtel Reserve
  • Jones AT&T Stadium – Lubbock, Texas (formerly Clifford B. and Audrey Jones Stadium, Jones SBC Stadium)
  • TPC San Antonio – San Antonio, Texas (AT&T Oaks Course & AT&T Canyons Course)
  • War Memorial Stadium (Arkansas)|War Memorial Stadium, AT&T Field – Little Rock, Arkansas

Sponsorships

  • AT&T Byron Nelson – Irving, Texas (golf)
  • Cotton Bowl Classic|AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic (formerly Mobil Cotton Bowl Classic, Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl Classic, SBC Cotton Bowl Classic) – played in Arlington, Texas, at AT&T Stadium (football)
  • AT&T National – Washington, D.C. (golf)
  • AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (golf)
  • AT&T Red River Rivalry – Dallas, Texas (formerly Red River Shootout, SBC Red River Rivalry) (football)
  • Major League Soccer and the United States Soccer Federation, including the United States men's national soccer team|U.S. men's and United States women's national soccer team|U.S. women's national teams and the Major League Soccer All-Star Game from 2009 MLS All-Star Game|2009
  • Mexico national football team
  • United States Olympic team<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • National Collegiate Athletic Association (Corporate Champion)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • American Cup (gymnastics)|AT&T American Cup, artistic gymnastics competition, sponsored by AT&T since 2011
  • Red Bull Racing (Formula 1 racing team), technical support and sponsorship, 2011 to 2020<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Cloud9, sponsorship since March 2019.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
  • Club América, sponsorship since July 19, 2018
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