AT&T: John Stankey To Head Strategy After Management Shakeup

(Reuters) - Wireless provider AT&T has put company veteran John Stankey in charge of strategy amid a management reshuffle after its failed attempt to take over Deutsche Telekom's U.S. mobile unit.

"Stankey, who has led nearly every major AT&T business unit during his 27-year career, will be responsible for developing the roadmap to maximize future growth opportunities," AT&T said in a statement on Monday.

AT&T also said Forrest Miller, its head of corporate strategy and mergers and acquisitions, was retiring. Miller had worked at AT&T for more than 30 years.

The company said Andy Geisse, who has been with AT&T for 32 years, will be responsible for the business segment and John Donovan will be responsible for AT&T's technology and network operations.

Ralph de la Vega was named president and CEO of AT&T Mobility, the company said.

AT&T had planned to buy T-Mobile USA for $39 billion but failed to close the deal in light of regulatory opposition and had to pay a $4 billion break-up fee to Deutsche Telekom.

(Reporting by Nicola Leske; Editing by Gary Hill)

Comments

[charlcreat]

08:18 AM on 02/01/2012

I don't care who runs the company, get competitive or I'm replacing my cell and cable provider. Somebody there needs to be drug tested or maybe I need to be tested for using them. I know, don't say it....

[Angel Ortiz]

05:41 AM on 02/01/2012

They just don't get it

[AbsoluteTruthiness]

10:28 PM on 01/31/2012

I saw the headline and thought for a second "Hallelujah! They're going to fire ALL the execs and ALL the customer non-service people" Alas, it appears that isn't the case.

It seems the local people are pretty good but the problem is the customer-non-service people on the other end of the phone - and it's not just the ones overseas. The US people are as bad as the ones overseas.

They were one of the top ten MOST HATED companies in the US a few weeks ago. They're just awful.

[d127527]

07:18 PM on 01/31/2012

I am an employee of AT&T. They shoulf fire the whole lot of them. The public has no idea how many jobs are being lost because of poor management. So many people on the land line side of the company are being let go. Work that would grow the sale of Uverse TV was canceled. Many people responsible for the construction of Uverse will loose their jobs soon. Bell South should have never allowed AT&T to take them over. Again it was about major stock holders making big money. Jobs for the middle income or low income mean nothing to them. All they do is blame the union for their failures as management. The union is useless to prevent the loss of jobs. The union is usless for the most part. As they subcontractr oout more nad more work you will see how bad service will get. I get complaints from people on the strteet all the time because of the lack of service.

[Enrique Iglesias]

09:10 PM on 01/31/2012

Well, one major reason that they will never increase their revenue is that if you want to add or increase your plan "YOU CAN NEVER TALK TO ANYONE!"

[AbsoluteTruthiness]

10:30 PM on 01/31/2012

Or just try to correct THEIR error! I recently set up service for my disabled sister. First bill was to be $49. WRONG. They billed me $249. When I called, and after holding 45 minutes, the woman immediately said "Oh, this is wrong" and said she'd fixed it. Then I was disconnected. I phoned back held another half hour, and the next rep (this one in the Philippines) said he had no record of the previous call and I had to start all over again. I am so sick of this kind of thing.

I'd like to get THEIR credit card and bill them for MY BILLABLE HOURS when they waste that much of my time on THEIR mistakes.

[charlcreat]

08:22 AM on 02/01/2012

One of my friends worked for Bell for over 30 years before they took over. He's still there but his department has been shuffled off to other countries and he's not feeling too secure there. He warned me about their customer service. Turns out, he knew something.

[redfaux]

07:17 PM on 01/31/2012

I really dislike this company--the worst I have ever been screwed by any company-- ATT gets the top prize. In my opinion they are the most corrupt communications company out there.

[AbsoluteTruthiness]

10:31 PM on 01/31/2012

They are right up there with Delta Airlines, American Airlines, Netflix, to name a few. The world's worst.

[bzmlco]

09:17 AM on 02/12/2012

Where were you & the rest of these anti ATT folks when the US Goverment(democrats) broke up the Bell System the one thing that worked in this country. I dont know anyone who's telephone bill went down after the break up. Plus hundreds of thousands of good middle class jobs were sent to the oreint from Weastern Electric. The end result is high priced lousy service. Thank the democrats

[virginiababe]

06:56 PM on 01/31/2012

At&t has always been a reputable communication company. However in recent years,as one of there longstanding customers,I find there is alot to be desired in the new UVERSE program. I continually have to downgrade services due to rising costs. What started out as a $165.00 monthly "bundling" program surpassed 250.00 in a relatively short period of time.
While gettin TV, Home Line,Internet and cell service with one company sounds enticing it is getting ridiculously high. I am shopping around for a new company.
Unfortunately I own stock in the company and want the stock to do well but paying >$250 per month is ridiculous.
If anyone has suggestions to assist me please offer your advice. I want to avi paying 3-4 differnet companies for services. Prefer to keep all with one company.
Perhaps the new guy will check out the complaint site and institute some changes.

[AbsoluteTruthiness]

10:33 PM on 01/31/2012

My Dad is retired from Bell System. My uncles (now deceased) worked for them. Cousins worked for them. All are long, long retired but they hate the company as much as anyone now.

Don't hold your breath. They're not going to fix anything but perhaps the benefits package for the upper management.

[SONNYSIDE]

06:46 PM on 01/31/2012

they need to change their dumb t v commercials while they are at it,they stink!

[viper1ex19]

06:40 PM on 01/31/2012

AT&T is no different than the BIG banks.

They are in business to take your money and if you are stupid enough to give it to them while knowing there are better alternatives,,, "YOU DESERVE IT"

[AbsoluteTruthiness]

10:34 PM on 01/31/2012

In many towns, it's the ONLY alternative for a land line. And some of us want more than a cheesy-sounding cell phone for business purposes, or for emergency services.

[erinbliss]

06:17 PM on 01/31/2012

Stankey? I'd have changed that name years ago.

[mrbjaw]

06:12 PM on 01/31/2012

Back in the day, before the government split up AT&T/ Bell, service was great, the people were great, if you had a problem, they were all over it till it was fixed.. But the government was going to "Help The Little People'', split them up to bring in more competition, as they (the government said) this would lower the cost and increase the service for the customers. How's that working out? If you want to screw up anything, just get the government involved.

[oldbelllabber]

09:33 PM on 01/31/2012

I agree wholeheartedly. The government destroyed the general telecom business AND ripped apart the R

[oldbelllabber]

09:36 PM on 01/31/2012

R

[AbsoluteTruthiness]

10:34 PM on 01/31/2012

Absolutely true.

[aznemesis]

01:38 AM on 02/12/2012

Nonsense. There are still good telcom companies out there. AT&T just isn't one of them. Frankly, I'd rather pay my cable company for VoIP service than pay AT&T more money.

[tommybellagio]

11:29 AM on 02/12/2012

Point is DEMS should have kept thier noses out of it... but they couldnt.. just like they will mess up Nobamacare as well.... these DEMS are so bright in teh classroom and so naive in the real world...

[petpetdonna]

05:58 PM on 01/31/2012

If he doesn't work out he will get a HUGE golden parachute and be on his way.

[mrsentinel]

05:54 PM on 01/31/2012

Zose chermans are schmart cookies, ja?

[RLaitres]

05:48 PM on 01/31/2012

Hope AT&T customers enjoy paying the $4 billion dollars the company incurred as a consequence of what amounts to little else than managerial incompetence. But, don't worry about "MIller" as I am sure he will be well compensated for what is essentially "getting fired".

[pjg43]

06:30 PM on 01/31/2012

Yeah well as an Employee. I will be paying a HUGE price.

[RLaitres]

08:40 PM on 01/31/2012

Yes. That is unfortunately all too true. Hey, but then how are all those executives and attorneys involved to get their hefty "paychecks" unless it comes from the employees and customers.

[aristocracyrules]

05:41 PM on 01/31/2012

Yeah, Miller is "retiring" after the D.T. debacle.

[flippyflyer]

05:28 PM on 01/31/2012

If there ever was a behemoth monopolistic company to complain about, its AT and T...All they do is buy compnaies with emerging technologies, stop competition and continue to FORCE customers to pay outrageous prices....AT and T needs to be sued by the Fed and broken up.

[petpetdonna]

05:59 PM on 01/31/2012

They did that years ago. Ma Bell will always be Ma Bell. The Feds should have left them alone 35 years ago,