Can Aerosmith, George W. Bush, and Mark Cuban Crank Up AT&T's Business Volume?

AT&T is one of the best-known brands in the world, but global name recognition isn’t enough with lucrative business customers.For that market, AT&T also wants to be considered one of the smartest companies, among the leading lights in the digital revolution.When a client wants to shift more business to the cloud or embrace connected devices or adopt artificial intelligence and virtual reality, AT&T wants to be "a trusted adviser." And it wants to be selected to integrate the various parts.How to earn that assignment? Demonstrate your high-tech bonafides.That's one reason AT&T is holding a two-day technology conference that kicks off Tuesday at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine. Called the Summit, it’s an invitation-only event with expert speakers, breakout sessions, technical demonstrations and musical artists.Speakers include President George W. Bush, entrepreneur Mark Cuban, American Airlines CEO Doug Parker, HP’s Meg Whitman and many AT&T executives, including chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson. Singer Darius Rucker and rock band Aerosmith are scheduled as the evening entertainment.Ticket prices for the conference are $2,495, and about 1,500 AT&T business customers are expected, including almost 300 senior execs. Over 60 companies are listed as exhibitors.AT&T’s goal?“It’s really to inspire an audience to think differently about how technology is going to transform industries, organizations and even the world,” said Thaddeus Arroyo, CEO of AT&T Business.  Continue reading...