Page 26 - SAMENA Trends - November 2020

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William E. Kennard Named Chairman of AT&T’s

Board of Directors

The board of directors of AT&T Inc has of communications, media and technology, MetLife, Inc. He is also co-founder of
selected William E. Kennard to serve as proven leadership and broad experience Astra Capital Management, a private
its chairman, effective January 2021, upon across capital markets and government equity firm. Kennard received his B.A. in
the retirement of Randall Stephenson, uniquely positions him to serve as AT&T’s Communications from Stanford University
currently AT&T’s executive chairman of new chairman,” Stephenson said. “He is and earned his law degree from Yale Law
the board. AT&T announced earlier this an outstanding choice to lead our board School. He currently serves on the board of
year its plan to elect an independent of talented directors who possess diverse trustees of Yale University.
chairman when Mr. Stephenson retired expertise and experience.” “It’s an honor
from the board in January, after serving to be selected to serve as chairman of
as chairman since 2007. This change AT&T’s board of directors,” Kennard said.
continues AT&T’s commitment to strong “On behalf of the board, I want to thank
corporate governance. Mr. Kennard served Randall for his outstanding leadership
as general counsel to the U.S. Federal and countless contributions as chairman.
Communications Commission from 1993 We wish him all the best. I look forward
to 1997. In 1997, he was appointed FCC to working with our CEO and fellow board
Chairman, a position he held until 2001. member John Stankey and the entire board
From 2009 to 2013, he served as the to continue creating long-term value for
U.S. Ambassador to the European Union. all stakeholders – investors, customers,
Kennard also has held positions with The employees and the communities we
Carlyle Group, a global asset management serve.” Mr. Kennard joined AT&T’s board of
firm, at which he led investments in the directors in 2014. He currently serves on
telecommunications and media sectors, the corporate governance and nominating
and the law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, committee and the public policy and
McPherson and Hand (now DLA Piper), corporate reputation committee. Kennard
where he was a partner and member of the serves on the boards of Duke Energy
board of directors. “Bill’s deep knowledge Corporation, Ford Motor Company and

AT&T Closes Sale of Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Operations

AT&T Inc. announced that it has completed contracts. AT&T will retain DIRECTV the FirstNet platform. AT&T is receiving
the sale of its wireless and wireline and certain global business customer $1.95 billion in cash and plans to use the
operations in Puerto Rico and the U.S. relationships and FirstNet responsibilities proceeds to redeem all of the preferred
Virgin Islands to Liberty Latin America. and relationships. Eligible first responders interests in a subsidiary (PR Holdings).
The transaction includes employees; subscribing to FirstNet in Puerto Rico and The company continues to pursue
network assets and spectrum; real estate the U.S. Virgin Islands will still have access additional non-core asset monetization
and leases; customers, including more to the benefits and capabilities — including opportunities.
than 1 million wireless subscribers; and always-on priority and preemption — of

AT&T Cisco Disaggregated Routing Deal Targets Peering at Network Edge

AT&T said that it has deployed traffic exchange with other internet service notes in a press release, this demonstrates
disaggregated IP routing at the network providers (ISPs) – functionality known as “the true openness of the hardware.”
edge. The news is the latest in a string peering. Eventually the platform is expected Advantages of using the same hardware in
of developments AT&T has announced to support broadband, IP content, Ethernet, the network core and network edge include
as part of the carrier’s broad plans to mobility and virtual private network (VPN) consistent maintenance processes and
move toward a network based on generic services. The generic hardware that will sparing. The UfiSpace hardware uses
hardware controlled by software separated support the AT&T disaggregated IP routing a building block approach that enables
from the hardware. Cisco will provide that platform will come from UfiSpace – a service providers to combine 40x100G or
software. The first use case for AT&T’s company that AT&T previously selected to 10x400G line card systems and a 48x400G
disaggregated edge routing platform is support the AT&T IP/MPLS core. As AT&T fabric system to create routers with

26 NOVEMBER 2020