AT&T Partner Exchange Introduces New Features To Help Accelerate Solution Providers' Business Evolution

Program Enhancements Designed to Help Solution Providers Be More Successful in the Marketplace

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Mar 16, 2015, 03:45 ET

DALLAS, March 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrating its two-year anniversary, AT&T* Partner Exchange℠ is introducing new features for its more than 275 solution providers. The program enhancements are designed to help accelerate solution providers' business evolution and increase their success in the marketplace.

Solution providers will benefit from the following:

Investment Development Funds
Certification Achievement Program
Innovation Ecosystem Additions
Simplified Program Tier Structure

"Two years ago, we launched an innovative business model centered around solution providers, and we're moving fast as we build on our momentum. As we grow AT&T Partner Exchange, we will continue to make bold moves on behalf of our customers," said Brooks McCorcle, president, AT&T Partner Solutions. "We're committed to our solution providers' success. And we're constantly exploring opportunities to help strengthen their businesses and maximize their benefits within our program."

"Since we joined AT&T Partner Exchange, we've scaled our business significantly. In the past two years, we've built more robust relationships with our customers, growing our recurring revenue base by over 25 percent. It's transforming how we do business. We recently launched a branded business unit – Creative Technology Partners – dedicated to driving growth through AT&T Partner Exchange, and our customers are excited to take advantage of the new solutions this model enables us to deliver," said RJ Chapple, president, ADCom Solutions.

In addition to the new features being rolled out, AT&T Partner Exchange continues to drive channel innovation with the AT&T Application Programming Interface (API) platform. Since its launch last fall, traffic on the platform has nearly tripled. Solution providers tapping into the power of the platform have also cited significant increases in revenue.

"APIs are a game-changer, and AT&T is leading the way in helping the marketplace unleash their transformational potential," said Avi Lonstein, CEO of AireSpring. "Already, we've seen our sales of AT&T services increase by millions of dollars in the last year."

Investment Development Funds

Investment Development Funds will soon be available for solution providers who invest in activities beyond marketing. This includes sales and operational consulting, contracting support, API development and systems enhancements to platforms like billing and service assurance. Funding will be available through an easy-to-access portal where solution providers can select from a list of third-party vendors ready to help meet their internal business transformation objectives.

Certification Achievement Program

The Certification Achievement Program helps solution providers build in-depth knowledge of specific product and service offerings in three technology tracks: Network, Cloud/Hosting and Mobility. The program includes an already-released prerequisite level – Core – and two certification tiers – Professional and Master, which are coming later this year. They range from a foundational awareness to immersive, in-person training that puts design and sales skills to the test.

Innovation Ecosystem Additions

The innovation ecosystem brings in third parties to help solution providers evolve using value-added services. This includes Billing-as-a-Service (BaaS). With BaaS, solution providers can access tools from BluLogix, Omniware™, OneBill™ and Profitec to ease the billing process.

The latest addition to the ecosystem helps solution providers use the AT&T API platform to create a customized experience for service availability, quoting and ordering. MasterStream, FPX and ChikPea have joined the ecosystem and are working with solution providers to help them develop innovative software solutions so they can better meet the needs of their businesses and customers.

Simplified Program Tier Structure

AT&T Partner Exchange is simplifying its existing tier structure. The two-tier structure will include Platinum and Platinum Elite levels. As solution providers move through the program, they'll have access to enhanced pricing and benefits, such as additional Market Development Funds.

AT&T Partner Exchange recently combined its innovative business model with the strength and scale of AT&T Wholesale and ACC Business. Bringing these three models together under one organization – called AT&T Partner Solutions – will help bring agents, solution providers and wholesale customers more flexibility to choose how they want to work with AT&T.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) helps millions of people and businesses around the globe stay connected through leading wireless, high-speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. We're helping people mobilize their worlds with state-of-the-art communications, entertainment services and amazing innovations like connected cars and devices for homes, offices and points in between. Our U.S. wireless network offers customers the nation's strongest LTE signal and the nation's most reliable 4G LTE network. We offer the best global wireless coverage*. We're improving how our customers stay entertained and informed with AT&T U-verse^® TV and High Speed Internet services. And businesses worldwide are serving their customers better with AT&T's mobility and highly secure cloud solutions.

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Reliability and signal strength claims based on nationwide carriers' LTE. Signal strength claim based ONLY on avg. LTE signal strength. LTE not available everywhere.

*Global coverage claim based on offering voice and LTE data roaming in more countries than any other U.S. based carrier, and offering the most wireless smartphones and tablets that work in the most countries.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update or revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.

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SOURCE AT&T Inc.