AT&T is seeking to strengthen the ties between its mobile and video services with a shift in responsibilities for two of its top executives.
According to a report from CNET, the company has shifted responsibility for the company’s consumer mobility operations from former mobile head Ralph de la Vega to John Stankey, head of the company’s DirecTV, Internet and TV businesses as CEO of the Entertainment group. Glenn Lurie, chief of the company’s mobility business, will now report to report to Stankey.
AT&T said de la Vega will remain involved with wireless and IP services as CEO of AT&T’s Business Solutions unit and will continue to run the company’s Mexican wireless operations, but will also take over responsibility for DirecTV’s Latin American businesses.
Both Stankey and de la Vega will report to AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson.
The moves come as AT&T looks to offer more integrated service choices to consumers, incorporating wireless with broadband and video services.
“To help us better execute on that strategy for consumers and deliver an integrated entertainment, mobile and broadband experience that is truly unique, we’re moving to a single consumer organization,” an AT&T spokesman said in an emailed statement Tuesday. “With a single organization…we can deliver the fully integrated entertainment, mobile and broadband solutions consumers want. We made a similar move for our business customers in 2014 when we integrated our mobility and business solutions group, and the results of that have been terrific.”
Since AT&T’s merger with DirecTV, Stephenson has been vocal in stating his opinion that the operator has the most unique set of assets – which he has called premium content – in the market and is in the best position to provide new options to consumers.
During the company’s fourth quarter earning call last week, Stephenson said the company is planning to roll out several new integrated offerings throughout the year, the first of which is expected within 45 days.
Earlier this month, the company rolled out a new unlimited deal linking its video and wireless services. The promotion offered new and existing DirecTV and U-Verse subscribers an AT&T wireless plan with unlimited data.
According to Stephenson, more than a half a million wireless customers have already taken advantage of the promotion. Stephenson said that figure was part of a growing trend the company is seeing in customers bundling mobile with broadband and video services
This story has been updated to clarify Ralph de la Vega’s involvement in wireless and IP services as head of AT&T’s Business Solutions. Comments from AT&T about the reason for the change have also been added.