TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: AT&T Steps up Cingular Rebranding Ahead of iPhone

AT&T Steps up Cingular Rebranding Ahead of iPhone

Reuters News Wire (reuters@telecom-digest.org)
Mon, 21 May 2007 06:09:17 -0500

Top U.S. phone company AT&T Inc. said it will step up its rebranding
campaign at Cingular wireless stores, seeking to raise AT&T's profile
ahead of the launch of Apple Inc.'s iPhone.

The company will replace the Cingular name with AT&T in the interiors
of its 1,800 shops on Monday, ahead of the iPhone launch in late June.

AT&T acquired BellSouth Corp. last year, a move that consolidated its
ownership of the two companies' wireless joint venture, Cingular,
which is being rebranded as AT&T.

"The iPhone is one of the most anticipated handsets ever in the
wireless industry, and we want to make sure that every drop of equity
from the iPhone accrues to the AT&T brand," AT&T spokesman Michael Coe
said.

"We want to be as far along as possible with our rebranding in advance
of the launch of the iPhone."

AT&T, however, said it will keep the exterior signs of most of the
stores unchanged for now, showing it would take time to dismantle the
well-recognized wireless brand.

The rebranding is expected to take a year or so, although AT&T has not
set a deadline. The company has said it will keep an eye on consumer
surveys to assess the public's recognition of AT&T as a wireless
provider.

"Our branding campaign is performing above projected levels, we are
ahead of schedule, and customer response has been very positive,"
Chief Operating Officer Randall Stephenson said in a statement.

AT&T said it was launching a new advertising campaign with the
tagline: "Your world is wireless. AT&T is wireless."

Copyright 2007 Reuters Limited.

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