Analysts weigh in on expected AT&T Q1 2009 results

WHO CARES about the other company's we work here

It sounds to me like you are whinning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I am in managment as well, I have toime to post notes so do you so we musn't be working that hard

My husband has worked for AT&T for 10 years. He has NEVER missed a day of work. He is in the MAJORITY not the MINORITY. Listen, if AT&T can replace him you too can be replaced.

Is it true that Randall Stephenson is married to Ed Whitiacre's daughter?????? Can this be true?

Heard a story about an executive who came home to his wife of 30yrs to speak about their current financial situation in these trying times. He explained that they had to cut some expenses. He had looked at cancelling his membership to the country club, but about half of his associates were avid golfers. The truth is that they didn't realy like the guy and only associated with him for the golf privledges. He then looked at his luxury suites at local sporting events, but found the same problem. He needed to offer those perks because the fact was none of his associates liked or respected him. He then explained to his wife that he had found her expenses for the previous month added up to 6k. He noted that they had someone coming in to clean the house already on a weekly basis and with the children out of the house he was having trouble justifying this expense. He went on to explain that he had found a 25yr old who was willing to come on board for 3k a month. He thanked her for her service explained that this decision was based solely on economics and showed her the door. Does this sound familiar?

I am a 53 year old Communications Technician. I have beeen a tech for 22 years and I have 31 years with AT&T legacy. My Father who passed away 2 years ago was a 2nd Level manager who gave 35 years to AT&T. During his retirement years, "the Golden Years", he would periodically ask me if I knew if there would be a raise on his pension. Of course, he never received a pension raise, but he did always have his medical benefits.
I consider myself a hard worker. I still enjoy the part of my job where I fix circuits and make customers happy. I have been blessed with good health at my age and am rarely sick. I would like to retire some day and be able to survive.(before I would have said live comfortably but that's pushing it).. My 401k is more of a 101k (like everyone else). My pension is ok as long as I can wait to 62 years old to retire so I can collect social security, also. However, if I have to pay for medical benefits, I would have to choose between them and food, shelter, transportation, etc. I think you get the picture. I can't just let go of that without some kind of fight. I'm afraid that the future of our country will be the rich and the poor, no middle class. I hope I am wrong.

Who needs healthcare, pensions, and landlines? Why that is the stuff of commie reds. We live in a borderless world without ethical borders. Borderless in the name of Greediness. All is borderless.No national boundries or responsibilities. Sort of like the 1890s, or the jungles, or the Galapogos Islands. Borderlessness abounds... surrounded by borderlessness.

Anyone can manipulate numbers to their liking. How about this? First quarter revenue 30 billion. First quarter wireless revenue 11 billion. Let's see. 30 - 11 = 19. Where did the other 19 billion come from? Wire line? Dang that don't seem right. I heard, according to AT&T, wire line was extinct.

Hey folks, I believe we live in a country where we are all free to seek the best we can get. So, those CWA whinners who don't like management's attitude and offer are free to walk across the street and get a job with TW Cable or some other cable MSO. Then please wrire back and tell us if the new package is better in terms of compensation, health coverage, pension, sick leave, etc., so that us in management (who have already seen reductions in health benefits, pensions, etc.) can follw suit.

I just heard that AT&T may consider a lock out if the union employees go out on strike. They are able to do that since they're working under an extended contract. And don't any of you think that you're not able to be replaced. you are !! just think, all of these employees that aren't there everyday , out on dissability, or whatever.. the company doesn't shut down. There's plenty of contractors on stand by. They've planned for this for a long time and if the union isn't careful, they may fall right into AT&T's plan of attack!

I'm' hardly worried about the guy who calls in sick (ALL OF THE TIME), BUT, why should the company continually pay these worthless employees while they're not even working ??? Maybe if the company cuts out the rediculous availablity of 'sick pay'and dissabilty, the employees might just think twice about calling sick if they're not going to get paid for it! gosh, imagine that, they'd have to come to work and do some work in order to get paid !!! unheard of !!

and that's fine...let the union fight for these unrealistic demands....the company, if they agree, will only turn around and lay off another 10,000....so whatever...

12:15PM...If your going to take text from an article, don't leave out some important information! There is a big discrepancy between "LANDLINE REVENUE" and "LANDLINE VOICE REVENUE"....

HELLO 12:15PM IDIOT....wireline VOICE revenue does not include clec,dsl,or u-verse services. Lets add those to the wireline revenue and see what percent Q1 ends up being! Get a clue, at&t is going to paint a dismal picture for wireline, so idiots like you come up with your trash.....two words, "CORPORATE GREED"

It's amazing how a CEO like Randall Stephenson can make his talking points and the investors are up one minute down the next like a yo yo. The stock market, traders ,corporate executives, as we have seen time and time again make talking points that serve their own needs. They are half truths , sometimes outright lies, and sometimes what they need to do to save face. Not once have you heard any mention of the ungodly compensation AT&T pays to executives after they leave the company. Lets forget what they get while they are on the job. Why is it that a CEO that makes unreal sums of compensation can't come up with a plan that works for the lower level managers and the union occupationals with regard to benefits that isn't so insulting?

I too work in Legacy but let me tell you, other parts of the company are not the same.
I also suggest you stop worrying about the guy who calls in sick and worry about tyhe people trying to take away your benefits. Keep lying down for these corporations and you'll see the extinction of the middle class.

TO ANONYMOUS at April 21st, 7:30 PM....I don't know what part of the company you work for (legacy,bellsouth,Cingular,etc) ...I have worked legacy for over 25 years. we are not given specified sick days, BUT, we are allowed to call in sick. One day is considered an 'occurence'...if you call in sick one or more (up to 5) consecutive days, it's still ONE OCCURENCE....then it's up to the manager's descression to give you a warning about too many sick days. AT&T has WASTED MORE MONEY on UNION MEMEBERS that consistantly call in SICK ! Don't tell everyone that AT&T doesn't give sick days, because they do , and they've thrown away millions paying these people to stay home with a made up illness !!! AT&T is sick and tired of being abused by the union and i'll guarantee, it's stopping now!

7:30 is an idiot.

Wireline revenue was down 12% in Q1.

If it wasnt for the rest of the company bailing you unions guys out you'd be negotiating out how much of a pay cut you'd all have to take to save your golden goose.

Profits may have been even higher if instead of planning to have a strike the company negotiated in good faith with a postive outlook toward a settlement but as the 7:30 post pointed out millions went to a few people and that is the real drain on the system.

Wow this article," Earnings preview: AT&T, Verizon set to hold steady" Seems to be a little contradicting to your article Doug. WHO TO BELIEVE? Good call Anonymous at 730pm

Hmmm...interesting article. Somehow it feels coincidental that this is published as the union and the company are negotiating the contract and we're working withont a contract which makes us vunerable. The main issue is healthcare, which a lot of people think we're being greedy. In this time where so many people don't have it, and may have to rely on the government it's too bad AT&T doesn't see that our health care keeps us from having to go elsewhere for help. Yes, we are willing to make concessions. No, the company will not negotiate on this. I guess they want us to be underinsured. People will put off getting medical treatment. And guess what - we do not have sick days. They say they expect us to take care of our health. Yes, we should, but we use vacation days when we are sick. Their policy is don't get sick, but we can't help you with decent healthcare. WE ARE NOT GREEDY. WE WILL NEGOTIATE. And we are people that you see all the time. Just regular people taking care of our families. None of us has gotten rich.

In 2008 AT&T paid 33.5 million to its top 5 executives. Paid 9.8 billion in dividends. Spent 6.45 million on campaigns, lobbing and gifts. Spent 50,000 on Schwarzenegger's 2'nd inaugural. And 250,000 on the Rose Bowl, Scline Dion And Bruce Sprinsteen concerts. Hmmm again.

Healthcare, not Welfare.