ATT has new logo

[CS85]

NEW YORK - The new AT&T Inc., freshly formed by SBC Communications Inc.'s purchase of its former parent company, on Monday unveiled its new corporate logo: a variation on the familiar blue AT&T globe with the company's name spelled in lowercase letters just below.

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Customers will see the new logo design with their monthly bills starting in December, but only on the envelopes. It will start appearing on the actual invoice in February.

The re-branding of SBC's services under the AT&T name may take longer. The switch won't be made until all legal and regulatory name-change filings are complete, the company said.

The changeover also entails replacing both the SBC logo and the old AT&T logo on 50,000 vehicles, 6,000 buildings and 40,000 uniforms and hardhats worn be employees, a process expected to take several months.

"Good morning, AT&T ? it feels great to finally say that," said Edward Whitacre Jr., chairman and chief executive, said at a ceremony marking the new logo introduction in San Antonio. A similar ceremony was held at the old AT&T's base in Bedminster, N.J.

Whitacre, who presided over SBC's growth from a regional phone carrier into one of the nation's two dominant telecommunications players, told workers that the reconnection between SBC and AT&T will form a company better than either could be on its own.

"Our goal is to be the only communications and entertainment company our customers will ever want," he said. "That's what this merger is all about."

The company said the new logo was designed to look three-dimensional, "representing the expanding breadth and depth of services that the new AT&T family of companies provides to customers."

Lowercase type was chosen for "at&t" in the logo "because it projects a more welcoming and accessible image," the company said.

Whitacre acknowledged that it was an emotional decision to replace the SBC brand and logo, which he worked long and hard to build as he transformed SBC from a regional phone company into one of the nation's two dominant telecommunications players.

"It's sad for me, but I think we're doing the right thing for the company," he said in an interview.

SBC, originally named Southwestern Bell Corp., was one of the regional "Baby Bells" created by the 1984 breakup of AT&T's national monopoly on local and long-distance phone service.

The former subsidiary completed its purchase of AT&T on Friday after California officials removed the final regulatory hurdle for the $16 billion deal.

The California Public Utility Commission also gave their consent to Verizon Communications Inc.'s planned purchase of MCI Inc. for about $7.5 billion, though that deal is still awaiting approval in other states.

The two deals highlight the fading distinction between local and long-distance calling as separate services, while ushering in a new era dominated by direct competition with cable TV and wireless providers rather than among individual phone companies.

SBC also announced Friday it will assume AT&T's longtime stock trading symbol, "T," starting Dec. 1.

AT&T brings a national fiber-optic network and a valuable base of corporate accounts to SBC's largely regional, consumer-oriented business. AT&T also gives SBC the international capabilities needed to serve companies with far-flung operations.

[Joshawaggie]

it does look better with the one color, but overall, boooo. Why tilt it like that?

[HurricaneDavid]

it looks like a bowling ball

My first thought was "marble."

[Brauny1280]

They are also the new sponsor of the Cotton Bowl game.

[JBPerry]

i'm ready for the new AT&T Center logo for San Antonio, the new AT&T Park logo in San Fran and any other logos that might be changed, and then how are they going to redo the floor in San Antonio if they change the name. either way it's a bad logo the new cotton bowl logo is also

[bhambruiser]

They are also the new sponsor of the Cotton Bowl game.

great now it will be on alabama's jersey for the bowl game...ugh

actually I don't really mind the new logo, but I just don't see a reason for the change. why fix what isn't broken?

[Mings]

I think it should have retained some of the old feature (the one color). when the new logo is just one color like the old one, it does rock a bit.

[winters in buffalo]

what's with the dumbing-down of logos lately?

[wlightcap]

but I just don't see a reason for the change. why fix what isn't broken?

Because it's a new company. AT&T was bought by SBC...it would have been a bad PR move to keep the old AT&T logo...diminishes the power of the SBC name. They already are using the AT&T name...they had to change the logo.

[bear69designs]

After seeing the single-color version I was surprised: it actually looks pretty good. I hate the wordmark no matter what, though.

I like the 3-D version by itself, but I think the problem with it alongside the wordmark is more about the 3-D vs 2-D look, as opposed to the wordmark just being bad (which, again, it is).

Not as bad as UPS, IMO.

[BadSeed84]

i HATE how every company is changing its wordmark to lowercases

USA, TBS, AT&T, among many others.

[bear69designs]

i HATE how every company is changing its wordmark to lowercases

USA, TBS, AT&T, among many others.

NBC. I hate that font they use.

[JPBlueHen]

New logo sucks, just like the company. This service provider and logo is much better:

[NoHoJoe]

Something seems odd to me about this:

it seems lopsided or something.

It looks like a gumball that squirts when you chew it!!!

[TwoRsAndTwoLs]

Am I the only one who thinks it would be fun to have a bowling ball that was the AT&T logo?

[BadSeed84]

not as fun as it would to have one like the pepsi globe!

[ltravisjr]

I think the lowercase is actually a smart move. With the SBC/ATT merger, there will obviously be worries about a return of the oversized power-wielding phone company monopoly. The lower case text gives the feeling of a "smaller" less dominating entity. Its subliminal.

LT

[oasage]

The SBC Center in San Antonio changed it's name to the at&t Center. Tonight was the first game in the new arena. They still haven't changed the huge sign outside, but they did change the wording on the court. Here is the header from their main page: