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AT&T lobbying

By Mia Steinle

March 12, 2010

LOBBYING 1999-2009 — AT&T

BEHIND THE NAME
AT&T Inc. was formed in 2005 when SBC Communications Inc. acquired AT&T Corp. and took the historic name as its own. Lobbying expenditures between 1999 and 2009 for AT&T and companies it acquired during the decade total at least $241.3 million.

AT&T Inc. had more than 15.6 million broadband subscribers as of the third quarter 2009. The company is also the nation's second-largest wireless company, with 85.1 million subscribers, as of the fourth quarter 2009.
COMPANY AMOUNT SPENT BACKGROUND
AT&T Inc. $117,632,816 2005-present
AT&T Corp. $49,769,499 Acquired by SBC Communications Inc.; changed name to AT&T Inc., 2005
BellSouth Corp. $41,734,324 Acquired by AT&T Inc., 2006
Cingular Wireless $23,780,000 Joint venture of SBC Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp. Full ownership transferred to AT&T with BellSouth acquisition
Ameritech Corp. $5,260,000 Acquired by SBC Communications Inc. (1999)
AT&T Wireless Services $1,522,000 Acquired by Cingular Wireless (2004)
Telecorp PCS Inc.s $638,000 Acquired by AT&T Corp. (2002)
AT&T Broadband & Internet Services $400,000  
Centennial Communications $225,000 Acquired by AT&T Inc. (2009)
Tritel Communications Inc. $150,000 Acquired by Telecorp (2000)
MediaOne Group $80,000 Acquired by AT&T Corp. (2000)
Interwise $40,000 Acquired by AT&T Corp. (2007)
GRC International $40,000 Acquired by AT&T Corp (200)

Sources: Leichtman Research Group, Inc. (broadband subscribers); lobbying disclosure forms with the Senate Office of Public Records (lobbying data); SEC filings (wireless subscribers).

Graphic research by Mia Steinle, Investigative Reporting Workshop