News / Business
AT&T sees VoIP as an application on broadband
During a 2006 interview, AT&T executive David Dorman presented VoIP as part of a fight among cable and telephone companies for the broadband connection.
Broadband first, voice as a service
Dorman argued that the value would sit in the broadband pipe because many applications could use it. He questioned whether VoIP would remain a distinct business or become a feature with a lower price, and described AT&T’s plan to supply voice capability to cable companies under co-branded or wholesale arrangements.
The interview paired that strategy with a view of consumer demand for bundled calling features and broadband. It also contained forecasts about penetration, pricing and the pace of business adoption. Those statements show management’s expectations in 2006; the interview itself does not establish how quickly the market moved or which commercial model prevailed.