AT&T named F.Thaddeus Arroyo, who served as president of AT&T Technology Development, as chief executive officer (CEO) of its newly acquired Mexican unit, lusacell. He will replace Grupo Iusacell SA’s Adrian Steckel. Arroyo, AT&T 19 years veteran is known for successfully transforming AT&T’s technology innovation strategy to become an innovation-fueled organization.
The US$2.5 billion acquisition of lusacell from Grupo Salinas was completed this week and is expected to enable AT&T to tap into a combined market covering more than 400 million people, creating a strong position for the service provider within the North American market. It will also provide AT&T a better positioning to tap into the faster-growing Mexican market, giving the service provider room for growth compared to the relatively saturated US market. Lusacell has around 9.2 million wireless subscribers and its wireless network covers 70 percent of Mexico's population of 120 million people.
John Stephens, AT&T’s Chief Financial Officer
It gives us the opportunity to create the first-ever North American mobile service area, covering more than 400 million customers, while at the same time get on the ground floor of the mobile broadband deployment in Mexico.
F. Thaddeus Arroyo
We’ll begin work immediately to bring more wireless competition and improved mobile Internet service to Mexico. We look forward to bringing the benefits of AT&T’s technology and resources to Mexico and contributing to the country’s bright economic future.