Q&A with Paul La Schiazza, AT&T Illinois & AT&T Midwest

1. What is AT&T today?

This is a really exciting time for AT&T and for our customers.  We are positioning ourselves as the world’s premier integrated communications company, and AT&T is different because we provide it all for our customers. 

We call it the “Power of &.”  We’re connecting and integrating virtually everything everywhere – delivering entertainment & mobility & business solutions & security & innovation & the Internet of Things – to make the world better for everyone.  

2. How does AT&T keep pace as a global tech leader?

The innovation never stops at AT&T.   Our company receives an average of five patents a day and we’re proud to have the brightest minds in the business in our AT&T Labs and Foundry centers developing new technologies, apps, products and services.

4. Where is the technology industry headed?

AT&T is a leader in one of the fastest-growing technology trends called the Internet of Things (IoT), where all types of devices and machines are connected and “talk” to one another.  Connectivity – fast, highly secure and mobile – is the engine powering our economy today.  Increasingly, it is also helping create a better, more sustainable world – from connected cars and homes to smarter, more resilient energy grids to tools that help cities manage traffic to reduce pollution.  Whether a customer wants to stay connected with a smartphone, wearable device, car, home or business, we’re keeping them connected.  Our AT&T Foundry innovators see top trends in more sensors and tracking, wearable tech, connected health and smarter cities. 

5. How can the Internet of Things help cities, including Chicago?

Internet of Things connections provide powerful, real-time information that can help cities save money, conserve energy, improve the quality of life and further engage with citizens.  So, our network is helping cities better serve citizens by connecting utility meters, street lights, water systems and now we’re moving to work with partners to find solutions for infrastructure, transportation, public safety and citizen engagement.  

We call it AT&T Smart Cities.  Earlier this year, we announced Chicago is one of the three initial spotlight cities where we will bring this framework.  It’s really exciting.

6. How is AT&T uniquely engaged in Chicago?

AT&T loves Chicago.  We invested here to bring faster Internet speeds – gigabit speeds — to businesses and residential customers in the Chicago area.  AT&T now offers Internet speeds up to 1 gigabit per second for businesses through AT&T Business Fiber and for residential customers and small businesses through AT&T GigaPower.

We are bringing AT&T Smart Cities to Chicago, we built our AT&T Flagship Retail Store right on Michigan Avenue, and we are truly connected to Chicago and the metropolitan area through our charitable giving, and our employees’ commitment to volunteering and mentoring.

7. What makes you proud to work for AT&T?

I love what our company stands for and how we do business. I’m especially proud of our commitment to diversity, inclusion and the community.  We know that a diverse workforce and inclusive culture are essential to our company’s success.  They help us attract and retain the best and the brightest professionals, and those professionals develop the most innovative products and solutions for our customers. 

At the same time, we recognize that how we do business is just as important as what we do.  People matter — to each other, to our communities, and to our company.  It is one of our core beliefs.  It always has been and it always will be.