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DHagar
DHagar
9/18/2017 5:09:09 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
@Mike, excellent interview and insights on AT&T's leading position in automation.

I did not realize that Amy, and AT&T, had been developing these capabilities over the past 15 years.  I guess that is an excellent example of "overnight success" and luck being preparation for opportunities.

I believe your question about machine learning has even greater significance than just another channel for automation.  I see the machine learning capability as the ability to
"collect" and "use data" in new ways; which becomes a direct feedback loop with greater intelligence about the results coming from the automation.

I truly applaud AT&T's upskilling commitment.  They have all the pieces to make this work!

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Mike Robuck
Mike Robuck
9/18/2017 6:03:04 PM
User Rank
Author
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
Thanks DHagar. I'm looking forward to hearing her and Level 3's Dugan speak on our SDN webinar on Thursday. While both AT&T and Level 3 have been at the forefront of SDN/NFV, they've taken different paths. 

 

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dcawrey
dcawrey
9/18/2017 6:09:33 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
15 years ago? This is why AT&T has been at the forefront of SDN. They company saw it happening before its own eyes. 

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DHagar
DHagar
9/18/2017 6:16:20 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
@dcawrey, exactly!  They have excellent radar and industry intelligence!

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Ariella
Ariella
9/18/2017 9:38:18 PM
User Rank
Author
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
@dcawrey You have to plan far in advance to be at the technological edge. I do hope Indigo lives up to the promise stated here: "Indigo will enable every element of our network to become more seamless, efficient and capable."

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dcawrey
dcawrey
9/19/2017 3:42:51 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
@Ariella Oh I agree with you, it's just I have been a bit pessimistic companies can actually look that far ahead. I suppose in this instance I've been proven wrong. 

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mpouraryan
mpouraryan
9/19/2017 3:51:18 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
I remember a CEO once note taht Christmas comes 4 times a year--it seems as if it resonates ever more so now--as companies are leeary to go public.    We have to remain rather hopeful, though, won't we?

 

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Ariella
Ariella
9/19/2017 4:25:52 PM
User Rank
Author
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
@dcawrey From my own dealings with AT&T as a customer and a reporter, I have to say that the company does get a lot of things very right.

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afwriter
afwriter
9/19/2017 11:14:15 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
I have to agree with Ariella, AT&T seems to be doing everything right from improved customer service to R & D.

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DHagar
DHagar
9/20/2017 8:32:40 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
@afwriter & Ariella, I echo that.  They are testing, building, and delivering new models and services that truly add value for the customers.  They don't always get it right, but they are always improving.  You can't beat that today!

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dcawrey
dcawrey
9/20/2017 1:39:02 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
@Ariella They are treating their customers better than Comcast does!

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Ariella
Ariella
9/20/2017 1:53:58 PM
User Rank
Author
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
@dcawrey I get the impression that's not saying much! But I really have to say that AT&T is quite good to its customers.

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afwriter
afwriter
9/21/2017 11:48:15 AM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
I feel as though this is a relatively new development but it is being felt throughout from the being in an AT&T store to calling DirectTV for customer service. 

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elizabethv
elizabethv
9/22/2017 8:09:00 AM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
@dcawrey - If that's where we're putting the bar - it's pretty low! Construction crews knocked out Comcast/Xfinity services here in Denver on Monday - more than 38,000 people were without internet or cable. And all over the Denver metro area, mine and my husbands work, our house (16-20 miles apart from each other) and nothing, from mid-afternoon to 2AM the next morning. And I found out a few of my neighbors were given $20 and $40 discounts off their next bills for the disruption of service. When I called, they offered me $5. :-/

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afwriter
afwriter
9/22/2017 11:06:35 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
@elizabethv, That is ridiculous! It's customer service problems like this that make people dislike doing business with Comcast. Hopefully you talked them into a bigger discount.

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elizabethv
elizabethv
9/26/2017 5:53:36 AM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
@afwriter - Right?! And I definitely talked them into a bigger discount. I told them not only did I know about the discounts my neighbors had received (they tried to convince me it was for a different outage) but I also explained that my son is homeschooled, so the internet being out prevented me from being able to work on his schoolwork with him. And that it was my only day off for the week, and I had needed to take care of a few things online that I had been unable to do. So they raised my discount to $26. The sad thing was a found out later they had offered other neighbors $5 and they hadn't argued for more. Which makes me think they likely started out by offering $5 and hoped that customers would take it. Obviously some did.

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srufolo1
srufolo1
9/30/2017 12:25:22 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
@elizabethv It's truly amazing how important the Internet has become for most people. It's their livelihoods, their children's educations, paying bills on time. Comcast was definitely unreasonable with your situation, and should definitely have offered you at least the same thing it did for the others. 

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ms.akkineni
ms.akkineni
9/30/2017 12:36:05 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
@srufolo1:

Totally in agreemnet with you. It is amazing to think how internet has become a part of our lives. I can't imagine daily operations atleast for one day with no internet connection.

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srufolo1
srufolo1
9/30/2017 9:00:54 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
@ms.akkineni Yes, the Internet used to be called the World Wide Web I remember a long time ago. It has changed everything we do, but it has also introduced major breaches and ransomware. There really is not much a person can do if they don't use the Internet though. There just is no going back to pre-Internet days.

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ms.akkineni
ms.akkineni
10/25/2017 7:35:52 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
Oh no, we can't even visualize atleast a single day without internet. It is hard to say we got spoiled or technology addicted. Not only that internet is a tool for many day to day operations presnetly.

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elizabethv
elizabethv
9/22/2017 8:05:16 AM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
@Ariella - That's really interesting to hear - that AT&T has good customer service. I remember a crazy incident that I wasn't privvy to details to when I was a kid, between my Mom and AT&T. She was yelling into the phone, so upset with AT&T. I know she ended her service with them after that call and she has bad mouthed them ever since. The experience is one I remember well enough that I've never even attempted to give them a chance. Though it was probably at least two decades ago by now. I suppose it would make sense that they are no longer the company my mom yelled at all those years ago. 

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afwriter
afwriter
9/26/2017 10:51:54 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
Even 18 months ago I was ready to leave AT&T. Now I think they would really have to mess up for me to consider a competitor. I think the healthy competition between mobile providers is actually forcing them to step up in all aspects. 

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elizabethv
elizabethv
9/27/2017 8:25:42 AM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
@afwriter - I think there is definitely more competition between cell phone carriers than there are internet providers. And I think it's great that a lot of cell phone companies are branching out to offering various types of internet to bring more competition to the table. Despite the seemingly endless mergers we find in telco, I think diversity and competition is a big key to success in the industry as a whole.

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ms.akkineni
ms.akkineni
9/30/2017 12:34:40 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
@afwriter:

Agree with you about At&T being reasonably good provider. Unfortunately i had to switch for other priorities like ability to call while travelling to Canada. Verizon has that feature included. My husband travels to Canada frequently and hence we moved to Verizon for that reason. But already have had couple of bad customer service experience.

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DHagar
DHagar
9/18/2017 6:15:33 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T's Automation Key for Speed/Efficiency
@Mike, thanks for the reminder.  I am scheduled to attend and am looking forward to it as well.  Very timely and important insights as to the reality of fully transforming with automation.

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clrmoney
clrmoney
9/19/2017 12:46:29 AM
User Rank
Platinum
AT&T Longevity having Automation
AT&T has been here for a long time offerring great customer service and products. I think with automation just increases the services of what they have to offer. I think it is a good thing in the long run.

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mpouraryan
mpouraryan
9/19/2017 12:03:34 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T Longevity having Automation
It will be interesting how they continue to evolve especially as they gear up to "eat up" Time Warner.

 

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Ariella
Ariella
9/19/2017 12:21:38 PM
User Rank
Author
Re: AT&T Longevity having Automation
@mpouraryan are you unhappy about the Time Warner deal?

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mpouraryan
mpouraryan
9/19/2017 12:24:27 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T Longevity having Automation
I have no opinion one way or the other.  Some of the content available by the soon to be AT&T/Time Warner combination is interesting (for instance HBO & John Oliver) which I hope it continues and the need to educate always is at the heart of it--that's the key (since you were gracious enough to ask).   The need, though, to make sure humans continue to be central should not be forgotten.   

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Ariella
Ariella
9/19/2017 12:34:52 PM
User Rank
Author
Re: AT&T Longevity having Automation
@mpouraryan I should think AT&T would keep up the aspects of the company that are popular. Of course, some change is inevitable, but likely that will not happen in the immediate future.

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mpouraryan
mpouraryan
9/19/2017 12:41:02 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T Longevity having Automation
@Ariella:  The reason AT&T has survived and evolved has been because it has been able to adapt no doubt--and "content" was missing.  It will be fasincating to be witness to it all....

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afwriter
afwriter
9/19/2017 11:32:40 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T Longevity having Automation
I wonder if there will be more AT&T branding in Time Warner content?

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mpouraryan
mpouraryan
9/20/2017 12:36:38 AM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T Longevity having Automation
Supposedly they'd create a "wall" between the two major businesses-but the AT&T Brand itself will prevail--and yes they're indeed doing a lot of things right as both and @Ariella have noted.

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srufolo1
srufolo1
9/22/2017 1:08:24 AM
User Rank
Platinum
AT&T
AT&T has always evolved and been ready to embrace SDN, AI and automation. That's why it is still around to provide great service to its customers. It keeps moving and never stops improving.

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elizabethv
elizabethv
9/22/2017 8:12:15 AM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
@srufolo1 - I have to agree, a willingness to always change and never stop improving is the key to staying on top of customer demand in any business. But particularly in technology where things never stop changing. A refusal to change is a death trap in technology. 

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srufolo1
srufolo1
9/22/2017 8:31:31 AM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
@elizabethv Guess that's why AT&T lasted. In reading your other post about your mother screaming at AT&T, I believe many telco and cable companies were not the best they could be years ago. I remember screaming a few times myself! The key is listening to your customers, learning from those mistakes and then caring enough to make the changes that will ameliorate the situation. I believe AT&T has succeeded at that.

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dcawrey
dcawrey
9/22/2017 12:44:23 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
AT&T is a very different company than years ago. Good to see the organization understand the impact of technological change and be at the forefront of it. 

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afwriter
afwriter
9/26/2017 10:53:50 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
I think the fact that they are at the forefront is the key. AT&T is like the Orange of the U.S. right now. 

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dlr5288
dlr5288
9/28/2017 2:30:16 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
I agree. I think they've come so far compared to where they were 5-10 years ago.

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ms.akkineni
ms.akkineni
9/30/2017 12:38:45 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
@dlr, @afwriter:

You are very right about mentionng AT & T as front runner candidate in mobile providers. I have had my share of experience with T-Mobil, AT & T and Verizon and i can say that i have had better experience with AT & T. They are steadily progressing with their services over the years.

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dlr5288
dlr5288
10/30/2017 11:32:21 AM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
I agree. I think I’m the past few years AT&T has really grown in the right direction.

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ms.akkineni
ms.akkineni
10/30/2017 5:31:18 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
@dlr5288:

In addition to following right direction for growth, their customer engagement is much better comparing to its competitors. I can say that as I had to switch from AT&T to Verizon for valid reasons at peronal level. First week into Verizon we have had the worst experience and we could hardly do much as we just switched.

Also to add they are following good vision in terms of focussing on expanding things that would directly affect customer.

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dlr5288
dlr5288
10/30/2017 10:23:31 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
I agree. I’m a Verizon customer and I do think they take longer to get back to their customers..and honestly it’s much harder to get ahold of someone when I do have a question or concern.

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ms.akkineni
ms.akkineni
10/31/2017 8:14:28 AM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
@dlr5288:

I wouldn't have minded too much if it was matter of too much time for Verizon to get back. Mine was totally bizare experience. We were given totally incorrect picture about what they had to offer as a package for me to switch from then existing At&T account. Once we made the switch Verizon customer service folks in store / on phone chnaged their tune completely. They knew for sure that it was already too late for us to get out and get back. Hence they smartly used the situation to be in their favor. We just had to swallow our frustration and move on.

 

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dlr5288
dlr5288
10/31/2017 1:37:21 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
That is horrible service! Mine actually isn’t too bad. Like I said, the only really annoying thing is them getting back to me or me airing on the line for forever it feels like..

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ms.akkineni
ms.akkineni
11/15/2017 3:08:46 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
@dlr5288:

Glad to hear that yours was not as worst experience as mine. But you are right the calls take infinite time sometimes and that's what generated peaks of frustration.

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dlr5288
dlr5288
11/20/2017 5:36:27 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
I can deal with a little frustration if the service is good! But if the service is only mediocre on top of bad customer service then it’s a lose/lose.

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ms.akkineni
ms.akkineni
11/25/2017 12:16:25 AM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
Eactly, there got be one good reason to spend any time either on calls with support or to deal with the company itself.

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dlr5288
dlr5288
11/27/2017 4:13:37 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
I’ve been seriously considering moving over to AT&T! Especially with all the new things they’re deciding to do coming up!

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ms.akkineni
ms.akkineni
12/18/2017 4:26:58 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
@dlr5288:

Good that you hav eoption to go back. I don't as i had to move to a different company for a specifc reason. AT&T considers calling to Canada as international calling. My husband travels to canada often for business and it isn't working well for him. So we had to change.

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dlr5288
dlr5288
12/19/2017 9:03:09 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
Awh really? Yeah I can if I wanted to. I have Verizon at the moment because it really is a great service, but not the most relatable all the time. Of course I’ve heard bad stories about AT&T as well. I guess everyone has to pick their poison..

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ms.akkineni
ms.akkineni
12/21/2017 11:00:16 AM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
That's true. Your experience could be based on your personal needs and wants. But when you think about cust service, it may not be fair to generalize as that is in correlation with human attitude of the agent we get when we call. Ofcourse that can be addressed to some extent by adequate training. BTW, i am with Verizon at the moment and we have had a very bizare experience with their customer service during the first week when we moved. Not an easy thing, per say.

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dlr5288
dlr5288
12/21/2017 9:15:05 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
Yeah you definitely can’t judge a whole company on a certain person you get when you call customer service. I’ve never had a huge problem with Verizon. I’m more curious to see if AT&T is better?..

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ms.akkineni
ms.akkineni
12/23/2017 3:36:20 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
I can only wish you good luck as it all depends on unique cases and situations. But got to tell you, we have had a very smooth experience with AT & T in the 2 year term we had wih them.

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dlr5288
dlr5288
12/26/2017 12:34:33 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
I think it all has to do with individual experience as well. I’d heard some people have difficulties with both Verizon and AT&T. I guess it all has to do with your own experiences.

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ms.akkineni
ms.akkineni
12/26/2017 1:32:36 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
Absolutely you are right. It is never good to generalize anything based on one's experience. There could be various factors that may drive that experience to the customer.

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dlr5288
dlr5288
12/27/2017 12:41:54 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
It’s just exciting to see the new things AT&T is working on! I’ll have to see if staying with verizon is better for me though.

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ms.akkineni
ms.akkineni
12/30/2017 11:07:58 AM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
I would say both companies are certainly moving forward with their set of new initiatives. It all depends on what suits an individual as per the needs, in terms of chosing one company. It is good to have healty competition, that would derive quality product into the market.

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dlr5288
dlr5288
12/30/2017 3:02:27 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
Exactly! It’s nice to have options. And with Verizon and AT&T it’s great that they can stay competitive in order to help the consumers out.

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elizabethv
elizabethv
9/26/2017 5:49:07 AM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
@srufolo1 - I suppose that's a very fair argument. You do have to appreciate a company that listens to a customer's concerns. 

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ms.akkineni
ms.akkineni
9/30/2017 12:40:57 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
@elizabethv:

Absolutely, any company that is caring for customers and their concerns is surely on the winning path. Customer experience and satisfaction is the top priority in current market.

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ms.akkineni
ms.akkineni
9/30/2017 12:44:37 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: AT&T
Completely in agreemnet with you. AT&T's adaptability has been so good. In this interview we see details explained about how they are getting tuned into automation now.

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