New AT&T Online 'Recommendation Tool' Takes Guesswork out of Choosing Communications Technologies for Small Businesses

DALLAS, July 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Because many small businesses have limited technical resources, identifying and selecting the best wireless and wired communications technologies for their operations can be a daunting task.

The good news for small businesses is that the task just got easier, thanks to the new "AT&T* Recommendation Tool," an online portal available at www.att.com/smallbusiness. The tool presents small businesses with a series of business-specific questions that are easily answered and quickly recommends the most relevant AT&T wireless and wired solutions, which can help them reduce costs, enhance productivity and, ultimately, get the most out of their communications technology budget.

The online tool has a simple user-friendly interface for non-techies and offers recommendations and purchasing capabilities for both wireless and wired solutions with a few clicks of a mouse. Those solutions include wireless voice and data services, wired local and long distance voice, high speed Internet, data backup, 24/7 tech support and website hosting or bundles featuring any or all of these services.

According to a 2010 study conducted by industry research firm Compass Intelligence, before making final purchase decisions for IT or telecom services, nearly half (46 percent) of small businesses indicate that they go to a preferred provider's website to see what they offer. A simple, compelling online resource, such as the AT&T Recommendation Tool, helps meet the needs of small businesses.

Recommendation Tool Key Facts/Features

• Uses customer answers to questions about their business to determine their wireline and wireless communications needs
• Recommends appropriate AT&T products and services based upon the customers communication needs
• "Hands off" the recommended packages for purchase and pre-populates the shopping cart with those products and services
• Allows customers to quickly order pre-defined packages – such as "All for Less" – or build their own customized solutions
• Uses a single page shopping cart for ordering voice, broadband, and wireless services
• Dynamically determines and displays applicable savings based on the selected products and services
• Allows customers to add on services, including tech support, data backup and website hosting and design

For a brief video, highlighting the AT&T Recommendation Tool, click here.

Quotes

"Online tools have become one of the most important ways to reach and influence decision-makers in the Small Businesses market," said Kneko Burney, President of Compass Intelligence. "This is because such tools can accommodate any schedule and help save the most precious resource for any small business ... time."

"Small businesses are continually looking for new ways to be more productive and get the most out of their technology investments," said Robert Sloan, AT&T Vice President of eSales & Service. "Our hope is that by providing a recommendation tool, we can take the guesswork out of selecting the best wireless and wired communications for a business' specific needs, and allow them to focus more on running their own business and improving their everyday operations."

General Information

Small businesses wanting information about all AT&T products and services can visit AT&T Small Business. For free business resources such as webinars, white papers, training, case studies and best practices, they can visit AT&T Small Business InSite.

Additionally, real-time information and updates can be found on the AT&T Small Business Facebook page and AT&T Small Business Twitter channel.

*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) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. A leader in mobile broadband, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries.  It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T | DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.  This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT. Find us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ATT to discover more about our consumer and wireless services or at www.Facebook.com/ATTSmallBiz  to discover more about our small business services.

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SOURCE AT&T Inc.