Randall Stephenson’s 13-year run at the helm of Dallas-based AT&T is nearly twice as long as the typical large company CEO.
He guided the company through an acquisition-filled period of growth and endured some memorable blunders. Here are highlights of his tenure:
April 27, 2007
Stephenson succeeds Edward Whitacre as CEO. He tells The Wall Street Journal: “TV will be the next multibillion-dollar business for our company."
June 27, 2008
AT&T announces move of its corporate headquarters from San Antonio to downtown Dallas. Stephenson tells The Dallas Morning News: “Being headquartered in Dallas will benefit our long-term growth prospects and human resources needs, and our ability to operate more efficiently, better serve customers and expand the business in the future.”
Jan. 29, 2009
With exclusive rights to Apple’s first iPhone, AT&T’s wireless growth accelerates. “The most important step we took in 2008 was our iPhone 3G launch,” Stephenson says. Forty percent of its 4.3 million iPhone customers are new to the company.
Sept. 29, 2009
AT&T launches “It Can Wait,” an awareness campaign to discourage texting while driving.
June 4, 2010
A customer’s email to Stephenson complaining about new data plans goes viral when an AT&T customer service representative replies: “I need to warn you that if you continue to send e-mails to Randall Stephenson, a cease-and-desist letter may be sent to you.” The News said the legal threat "exploded across the Internet like a rotten egg.”
Jan. 28, 2011
AT&T loses exclusive rights to iPhone as rival Verizon prepares to sell the popular smartphone on its network. “This is going to create some volatility in the first part of the year,” Stephenson says.
March 20, 2011
AT&T makes $39 billion bid to buy T-Mobile USA from its German parent company. “We’re doing it to address a transition that we as an industry have been dealing with, this explosive growth in mobile broadband,” Stephenson says.
Dec. 19, 2011
AT&T gives up its bid for T-Mobile. The Obama administration had sued to block the deal on antitrust grounds. AT&T pays a $4 billion breakup fee to T-Mobile and gives up some of its valuable spectrum.
Feb. 21, 2012
AT&T’s board of directors cuts Stephenson’s pay by $2 million because of failed T-Mobile bid.
July 25, 2013
AT&T secures naming rights to the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium in Arlington in a deal valued at $17 million to $19 million a year for the football team.
Jan. 1, 2014
Stephenson becomes chairman of the Business Roundtable, an association of major company CEOs.
March 13, 2014
AT&T completes $1.2 billion acquisition of prepaid provider Leap Wireless.
May 18, 2014
AT&T announces $67 billion deal to buy satellite TV provider DirecTV. The deal closes 14 months later.
June 25, 2015
Two months after completing a deal for Nextel Mexico, AT&T says it will invest $3 billion to build out its high-speed mobile network in Mexico.
May 26, 2016
Stephenson becomes national president of Irving-based Boy Scouts of America.
Sept. 24, 2016
Stephenson gives a forceful defense of the Black Lives Matter movement during a speech to company employees. “Our communities are being destroyed by racial tension,” he says.
Oct. 22, 2016
AT&T announces $108.7 billion deal to buy Time Warner. The deal takes nearly two years to complete after surviving a Trump administration challenge on antitrust grounds.
March 30, 2017
AT&T wins $46.5 billion contract from the U.S. Commerce Department to build out a first-responder emergency network known as FirstNet.
May 11, 2018
Stephenson emails company employees regarding AT&T’s $1 million payment to a shell company used by President Donald Trump’s personal attorney Michael Cohen to pay hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels. His email calls it “a big mistake” and says AT&T’s top lobbyist will leave the company.
Oct. 29, 2019
With Time Warner’s assets now in its portfolio, AT&T unveils its plans for HBO Max, a new streaming service that’ll compete in the increasingly fragmented TV market. HBO Max is set to debut May 27.
