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January 22, 2005

"We have no other alternative. We have to do this to survive."

That's Hossein Eslambolchi, CTO of AT&T, describing the company's transformation into a data-centric service provider. He's right. Go read the New York Times article for a good perspective on how telecom is changing. As I've written, AT&T has a fighting change to emerge from the turmoil as a leader, largely thanks to smart executives like Hossein and CEO Dave Dorman. But it faces a tough road in getting there. Turning around a big, proud company like AT&T is never easy, and it's especially challenging in an environment like this.

Posted by Kevin Werbach at January 22, 2005 8:31 AM

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There's a name I have not heard in some time: Hossein Eslambolchi. I was with Excite@Home when AT&T decided to strongarm it's way into total control of the company. Then-CEO C. Michael Armstrong sent Eslambolchi to rebuild @Home's network. I could go on a bitter rant here, but I will simply say that when Eslambolchi left @Home's campus, AT&T suddenly announced they were building their own network. [Hmmm....] That signaled the demise of E@H. (Read about the history here: http://news.com.com/Home+shareholders+cite+ATT+fraud/2100-1033_3-965824.html and here: http://news.com.com/2009-1033-845974.html ) [Do not misread me here, AT&T was not the only problem facing @Home, but when your #1 stakeholder declines to renew its deal, you can bet you will tank in a hurry.] I'll be frank in saying I took saticfaction in seeing them fail in broadband services, including cable and internet, ultimately selling out to ther rival, Comcast. I also take satisfaction in seeing them wither in the face of residential telephony competition - lump the sale [this was sooo not a merger, regardless of what the press articles may say or claim] of the wireless division to Cingular in there as well. "Change or die" is a more accurate way to state his meaning. AT&T has been passed by on the road the the 21st century by basically everyone. Pull your Dodge Duster of a company to the side of the road so someone with a Hemi-powered Dodge Ram pickup can take you to the bus station. To quote Travis Tritt, "here's a quarter," Hossein, "call someone who cares."

Posted by: cmcdannold [TypeKey Profile Page] at January 24, 2005 2:32 PM

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