Staying Connected TC2 & LB3

AT&T is quietly proceeding with a corporate restructuring that will, in AT&T’s words, involve a series of internal transactions that “merges AT&T Corp. out of existence”.  AT&T has not made any flashy announcements about this change.  Instead, they have added one line to relevant invoices telling customers that “effective May 1, 2024, any services provided by AT&T Corp. will be provided by AT&T Enterprises, LLC.”
In this 11-minute podcast, Laura McDonald joins Tony Mangino to discuss the restructuring, what happens to client contracts and deals, and what enterprise customers that purchase services from AT&T Corp. can and should be doing. 
If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Network Services Transactions and Strategic Sourcing webpages.
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While companies should always be on the lookout for unexpected hikes in their ICT spend, in today’s uncertain environment it is more important than ever to maintain vigilance.  Just last month Lumen notified its customers of an upcoming change to their operational and technical support structure that may leave enterprises footing a steeper bill.
In this 5-minute podcast, TC2’s Theresa Knutson and Frank Zagrodnik join Sara Crifasi to discuss Lumen’s forthcoming shift in support and what enterprises can do to alleviate the corresponding unanticipated cost increase.
If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Contract Compliance & Optimization and Success Stories webpages.
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Merger and acquisition activity can be beneficial to the business, but it can also lead to complications when it comes to integrating ICT deals of the two entities.  Harmonizing disparate commercial terms, service schedules and pricing from legacy contracts can be a headache.
In this 7-minute podcast, Keith Cook and Tony Mangino discuss how, when approached strategically, deal integration presents a unique opportunity to both reduce costs and increase commercial flexibility across a broader portfolio of services. 
If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Strategic Sourcing and Contract Compliance & Optimization webpages.
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On Saturday, March 30th, AT&T announced a significant data breach that exposed the sensitive personal information of millions of its current and former customers.  As data breaches seem only to increase in frequency, enterprise customers can’t rely on service providers alone to keep their data safe—they must be proactive about security, which includes negotiating appropriately protective contract terms, limiting unnecessary data exchange, and enforcing internal security practices.
On our latest 11-minute podcast, Laura McDonald and Deb Boehling join Sara Crifasi to discuss what enterprise customers should know about AT&T’s latest breach and what they should do to protect their sensitive data going forward.
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5G was in the doldrums, but 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is a success story – it is growing and we predict more adoption by enterprise customers in 2024.
In certain industries, particularly those with more remote or ex-suburban presences, 5G FWA tempts enterprise customers as an alternative to fixed broadband.  Investments by providers, fueled by the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program and other available funds (e.g., Connect America Fund), will make 5G FWA more available and affordable.  In 2024, we also predict the accelerated adoption of 5G and Wi-Fi 6E and 7 technologies as enterprises prioritize wireless connectivity for critical applications, leading to a hybrid wired-wireless WAN architecture.
In this 10-minute podcast, Deb Boehling and David Lee join Tony Mangino to discuss how 5G FWA will become an increasingly popular option for the enterprise ICT network architecture.
If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Mobility Services – In-Country, Regional, Global and Success Stories webpages.
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This is the season of AI, and it should be no surprise that we predict that AI will continue to have a significant (and growing) impact on the ICT market and day-to-day use of information, communications, and network deals.
Three areas in which AI-driven change will directly impact ICT in 2024: (1) the backend processes for vendors, including NOCs and staffing, (2) the refined use of AI in enterprises’ management of their services and customer relationships, and (3) security – with both improvements and new threat factors accelerating.
In the face of these changes, Kevin DiLallo and Sara Crifasi join Tony Mangino for this 13-minute podcast to discuss a number of contract terms that enterprise customers should incorporate into their agreements to keep their data and reputations well protected.
If you would like to learn more about our experience in this space, please visit our Technology Consulting & Strategy Development and Information Technology Advisory Services webpages.
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