AT&T will provide wireless 3G connections to the Apple iPad tablet PC in the US, although the company's boss thinks most users will connect via short-range Wi-Fi networks in the home.
CEO Randall Stephenson does not expect the iPad to result in many new service subscriptions for AT&T as he expects that most users will plump for Wi-Fi or prepaid services.
"My expectation is that there's not going to be a lot of people out there looking for another subscription," he said during a webcast of an investor conference.
As far as AT&T's exclusive rights to US sales of Apple's iPhone, Stephenson added that the iPhone would be "an important part" of AT&T's phone line up "for quite some period of time."
FCC and net neutrality
Stephenson expects the Federal Communications Commission to deal with the issue of net neutrality in a positive way, noting he was "fairly optimistic net neutrality will land at a reasonable place."
However, he was not so positive about the FCC's plans to achieve its proposed goal of putting web connections of 100 megabits per second in US homes, adding:
"If the objectives are 100 megabits capability to every home in the United States that is going to require a lot of investment. To drive that kind of investment will require a redirecting of the subsidies that exist today."
Via Reuters
