Reinventing a new reality…together

2021 has thus far proven to be a year of extraordinary progress and adaptability in the face of unprecedented challenges for society, including businesses of every size. No longer in early pandemic survival mode, our collective efforts and learnings have been the guiding light to our next reality, where the very nature of how we live, work, and play continues to shift and evolve.

And of course, we’ve experienced first-hand the role of technology in the speed of our recovery. Having access to a myriad of new tools and solutions has been key to bringing us closer in so many powerful ways. It’s enabling businesses and society at large to adapt and thrive during the most disruptive of times.

This year’s virtual AT&T Business Summit was the perfect venue to reflect on the power of human ingenuity and showcase the innovative technology that will move us forward as we reinvent reality, together.

The breakdown: inspirational sessions and takeaways

Over the course of two days, we explored how businesses are finding new ways to deliver customized, unique, and safe experiences for their customers and employees. We heard from visionaries and global decision-makers, and dove into the technology that is shaping our future. From 5G and IoT to cybersecurity and small business, we covered a variety of topics impacting businesses today, as well as tomorrow.

Let me share some of my “golden nuggets” from some of these conversations:

·??????Resilience, Transformation & Growth – Featuring Kendra Scott & Jeff McElfresh

For a business to be standing today, it must be resilient. It’s not about the ability to bounce back, but about having the capacity to discern what’s truly important and move forward. As an entrepreneur and philanthropist, Kendra Scott shared her unique perspective on the challenges leaders are having to overcome today. In this conversation, Kendra and AT&T Communications CEO Jeff McElfresh spoke about the customer experience, the entrepreneurship mindset, and small business growth.

Kendra pointed out that business owners understand how volatile their growth can be, when some days it’s hard to make a dollar. But she advised that going back to customer service basics can help make an impact: “When a customer walks in a store, I want them to come in and feel good…I want them to have a place where they feel safe and welcomed. If they leave with a smile, you have succeeded because even if they don't buy or leave with the little yellow bag that day, they're going to remember how they felt in that experience.”?

·??????Digital Transformation: The Intersection of the Human and Digital Experience – Featuring Andrea Sutton, F.D. Wilder, and Eric Egleston

Digital transformation is so important to any organization today. Yet, what can make or break the implementation of this technology is the ability to change beliefs and adopt new behaviors within an organization. That’s what makes it difficult. McKinsey predicts that approximately 70% to 80% of transformations don't reach the aspiration originally set for them. In 3 out of 5 cases, the biggest causes of those failures are related to people.

At the forefront of digital transformation and exceptional leadership are Andrea Sutton, F.D. Wilder, and Eric Egleston. In this session, they talked about how to prevent these failures, help our organizations evolve digitally, and give our people the space to thrive. “What it comes down to is, how do we position our people to really succeed in this environment? One change we made at P&G is we moved from a triangle org structure to a straight line. We wanted single-point accountability. That structure is far more agile. Accountability with clarity allowed us to dramatically accelerate our digital transformation.” This is a great example from F.D. Wilder.

·??????The Power of Connections: Essential 5G – Featuring Mo Katibeh, Edward Parkinson, Joe Lopano

It was eye-opening to get a closer look into how 5G-enabled technology is helping transform vital public services. In this discussion, SVP of AT&T Network Engineering and Operations Mo Katibeh alongside Joe Lopano, CEO of Tampa Airport, and Edward Parkinson, CEO of FirstNet Authority, shared excellent examples of how these capabilities are being implemented. From meeting travelers’ expectations at the airport to meeting safety protocols in case of an emergency, it’s great to see the power of 5G in revolutionizing connectivity where it counts.

A few exciting announcements

As part of every AT&T Business Summit, it’s great to be able to update everyone on our evolution and highlight our latest collaborations. Here’s some of what’s happening:

·??????FirstNet surpassed 2.8 million connections

The only nationwide, high-speed broadband communications platform dedicated to America’s first responders continues to grow connections and drive innovative mission-centric solutions. To date, surpassing 95% of the nationwide Band 14 coverage target. Additionally, over 18,500 public safety agencies and organizations subscribed, accounting for more than 2.8 million connections nationwide. Among the new capabilities, offering an integrated command center, mapping solutions to enhance on-scene situational awareness and coordination.

·??????AT&T is bringing 5G connectivity to the GE Research Campus

We’re working together with the research and development division of General Electric to help fuel the future of healthcare, aviation, and green energy. A new private 5G network—both mmWave (5G+) and sub-6 spectrum—will be supporting the cross-industry testbed at their research facility in Niskayuna, New York. This will allow the research facility to upgrade and adjust its environment as needed to reflect the marketplace as it evolves.

·??????AT&T is bringing 5G to the Ford EV Manufacturing Facility

Great news for the future of electric vehicles. Ford Motor Company and AT&T are transforming the historic Dearborn campus into the first vehicle manufacturing facility in the U.S. to be powered by a private 5G network. It’s an essential connectivity upgrade to help build the new, all-electric 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning pickup, the gas-free version of America’s best-selling truck, the F-Series. Ford will be pairing the new 5G capabilities with AT&T’s Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) technology to support its production.

It’s not all about what’s next. It’s about what we can reinvent together, now.

If there’s something we’ve learned in the past 18 months, it’s that there’s no reason to fear making significant changes that are going to support innovation and our well-being for generations to come. Change might be uncomfortable at times, but we’ve all experienced how necessary it is in order to survive and thrive – now and for the future. We know that the time is now to unite technology and human ingenuity to reinvent reality.

And when we rethink reality, we have no choice but to think big, to go all in - driving real change across our world. Let’s stand up as champions for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Let’s push boundaries in sustainability. Let’s commit to closing the digital divide and tackling global challenges in innovative ways - from responding to natural disasters to fighting a global pandemic. Our connection to each other is incredibly powerful, and I am thankful that we can come together to foster open conversations about the possibilities of tomorrow.

I hope you found this year's Summit educational, valuable, insightful, and thought-provoking. As you've experienced, we’re doing great things together. And this is only the beginning of this new dynamic decade. If you missed this year’s Summit or want to catch a particular session (or sessions) again, you can access on-demand content through mid-December, via the same platform.?If you didn’t register for the event, you’ll need to here , in order to access the on-demand sessions.

And please mark your calendars for November 1 through November 4, 2022.?When I hope to see all of you in person at our 2022 AT&T Business Summit.?