AT&T (NYSE:T): Skype used to threaten AT&T’s conventional phone system, and the company even banned it for a time from some of its mobile phones. In contrast, now, AT&T hopes to use Lync, which is unit of Skype’s Internet calling services to lure corporate customers to its network. According to AT&T, it will sell an expanded menu of communication services including Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Lync, which features enterprise-software package with instant messaging and calling tools. Recently, Lync was added to the Microsoft unit that includes Skype, which the software giant purchased in 2011 for $8.5 billion. AT&T’s partnership with Microsoft involves revenue sharing between the two companies, and it isn’t exclusive, claims Andy Geisse, head of the Dallas-based telecom’s business-solutions unit, reports Bloomberg.
Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ): The company’s CEO Lowell McAdam’s 2012 compensation saw a drop of almost 40 percent but factored in stock option gains. He brought in over $36 million. McAdam’s 2012 compensation, including salary, stock awards, performance-based shares, restricted shares and perks have a value of about $13.8 million, claims Verizon’s Monday proxy filing. McAdam gained another $22.8 million from previously issued shares that vested in 2012. According to Verizon spokesman Bob Varettoni, $10.3 million of the $22.8 million is based on a special long-term performance stock incentive awarded to McAdam in 2009, payable in shares that must be held an additional two years.
Sprint (NYSE:S): Sprint Emerging Solutions & Global Wholesale, a part of Sprint Nextel, along with Mitel (NASDAQ:MITL), which provides cloud and premises-based unified communications and collaboration solutions, entered into a wholesale agreement allowing resellers of the fast-growing cloud services market for small- and mid-sized businesses in the U.S. Building on an existing relationship, and the new agreement should allow Mitel and Sprint Emerging Solutions & Global Wholesale to extend their addressable markets and fully capitalize on the rapid adoption of cloud services globally, a market which is predicted to reach $52 billion this year.
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