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AT&T has focused its strategy on connectivity through 5G wireless and fiber broadband. CFO Pascal Desroches and CEO John Stankey explain fiber’s advantage over legacy copper networks, and how the combination of fiber and 5G is more cost-efficient. Tune into this episode of Chief Future Officer tomorrow at 9:30 pm ET ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total reported revenue declined 3.3% to $3,182 million, with business segment revenue down 2.6% to $2,524 million and mass market segment revenue down 5.9% to $658 million [25] - Adjusted EBITDA was $929 million with a 29.2% margin, compared to $977 million in the year-ago quarter [33] - Free cash flow was $354 million, and capital expenditures were $791 million [34] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - North American enterprise channels revenue declined by 1.7%, while North American enterprise grow revenue increased 9.9% year over year [25][30] - Large enterprise revenue declined 3.7%, and mid-market revenue declined approximately 11.1% [25] - Public sector revenue grew 14.7% year over year, although it can be lumpy quarter to quarter [25] - Wholesale revenue declined approximately 3.6% year over year, with the Harvest portion contracting by 5.8% [27] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Fiber broadband revenue grew 22.9% year over year, representing 45% of mass markets broadband revenue [32] - The company added 101,000 fiber-enabled homes, bringing the total to approximately 4.3 million [32] - Quantum fiber penetration stood at approximately 26% [32] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company focuses on three priorities: driving operational excellence, building the backbone for the AI economy, and cloudifying telecom [5][22] - The modernization and simplification initiatives are expected to generate at least $250 million in savings by the end of 2025 and $1 billion by the end of 2027 [7] - The company is actively constructing $8.5 billion in private connectivity fabric projects, with 57 ILA sites under construction [8][9] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in margin expansion and total EBITDA returning to full-year growth in 2026 [24] - The company is optimistic about the public sector's strength despite potential budget pressures [71] - Management noted that the demand for AI-driven services is increasing, positioning the company favorably in the market [56][58] Other Important Information - The company has initiated deployment of new fiber technology and is on track with project management [9] - The company is undergoing a strategic review of its consumer fiber business, focusing on enterprise connectivity [35] Q&A Session Summary Question: Context on grow revenue increase - Management indicated that grow revenue was driven by dark fiber deals, primarily from large enterprises and public sector, and expects these trends to continue [39][40] Question: Legacy TDM revenue impact - Management acknowledged some disconnect activity in the first quarter but remains optimistic about EBITDA and margin improvements [41] Question: Cloud economics differentiation - Management explained that the Lumen digital platform enables cloud economics by allowing multiple services on a single port, enhancing value without necessarily lowering prices [47][65] Question: Public sector revenue trends - Management confirmed that public sector revenue remains strong, with ongoing engagement in large-scale opportunities [62][80] Question: Pricing strategy for new services - Management emphasized that the focus is on total value of ownership rather than simply lowering prices, aiming to provide higher performance and lower latency [63][65] Question: CapEx and cash flow cadence - Management stated that CapEx will ramp up but is volatile quarter to quarter, and they are confident in the annual guidance [70] Question: Risks in public sector due to budget cuts - Management remains bullish on public sector opportunities, citing government commitments to modernization and simplification [71]