Q&A with Roman Pacewicz, SVP, marketing and global strategy, AT&T
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Q&A with Roman Pacewicz, SVP, marketing and global strategy, AT&T

As AT&T prepares to launch the first ever US and Mexico mobile service area, Capacity catches up with company’s SVP of marketing and global strategy Roman Pacewicz to learn more about its expansion plans for Latin America.

Roman Pacewicz

How has AT&T increased its focus on the Latin American market?

Latin America is an important region for AT&T.  AT&T has significant resources in Latin America with a workforce of several hundred, serving multinational companies with integrated, competitive, flexible range of enterprise communications services to support their businesses.

AT&T has continued to invest in the Latin American market with recent acquisitions such as Iusacell in Mexico. What we see happening in Mexico and what the government has accomplished with the macroeconomic environment and regulatory reforms to encourage foreign investment is impressive.

 

What new service areas is AT&T targeting in the region, and which countries in particular does it hope to grow business in?

We’re working to create the first-ever US and Mexican mobile service area that will cover 400 million consumers and businesses. It won’t matter which country you’re in or which country you’re calling – it will all be one unparalleled customer experience.

Smartphone penetration rates in Mexico are about half that of those in the United States. AT&T expects that as the price to acquire a smartphone continues to decline and the availability of higher-speed mobile networks in Mexico increases, there will be higher smartphone adoption rates and increased mobile Internet usage. This, coupled with Mexico’s growing economy and relatively young population, are expected to drive growing demand for high-quality, high-speed mobile service in the years ahead.

 

How has the acquisition of IUSACELL in Mexico supported AT&T's operations in the Caribbean and Latin America?

With the Iusacell network today covering 70% of Mexico’s population, we plan to expand the network footprint to cover millions of additional consumers and businesses in Mexico.  The anticipated acquisition of Nextel Mexico and its integration with Iusacell, will assist with this, and will allow us to quickly improve and expand mobile Internet and telephone service to the benefit of millions of Mexicans. 

Together with AT&T’s existing operations in the Caribbean and Latin America, this expanding coverage area will continue to support AT&T’s commitment to excellent customer service throughout the region.

 

Is AT&T planning any further acquisitions in the region?

Latin America’s economies and populations are increasingly growing, which will encourage more competition and more investment in the region. 

We will continue to focus our capital investments on the most strategically important assets and opportunities, such as acquiring DIRECTV, Iusacell and Nextel Mexico, while continuously reviewing and rationalising our portfolio of less strategic assets. 

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