AT&T combines mobile, enterprise units; re-shuffles executive deck

AT&T has juggled some of its operational structure and corresponding leadership, with the telecommunications giant promoting Glenn Lurie to CEO of its mobility division and former mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega moving up to oversee the newly combined mobility and enterprise divisions.
According to Fierce Wireless, the move will see AT&T move its enterprise marketing and distribution group into the mobility division. The operator stated that roughly half of its mobile revenues come from enterprise customers, and that the move continues its plans to further integrate its wireless and wireline operations.
Lurie previously served as president of AT&T Mobility’s Emerging Enterprises and Partnerships group and is a long-time AT&T veteran having served as president of its emerging device and resale business, among other positions. The move would also seem to position de la Vega higher up the organizational chart under AT&T Chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson. There was no word on a positional change for current AT&T Business Solutions CEO Andrew Geisse.
Analysts were neutral on the news.
“The announcement is not a major surprise, as the company had already been working on integrating wireless and wireline operations,” explained Wells Fargo Securities senior analyst Jennifer Fritzsche, in a research note. “The consolidation makes sense given that business-related customers represent more than 50% of AT&T’s mobile revenues and that enterprise revenues are shifting toward wireless from wireline.
AT&T rival Sprint earlier this month replaced long-time CEO Dan Hesse with former Brightstar founder and CEO Marcello Claure. The move was seen as a strong shake up for the carrier, which has struggled operationally over the past several years alongside an extensive network upgrade campaign.
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