Option #1: Milestone 3/Final Portfolio Project Submission

Final Project Portfolio AT&T
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Abstract
The evolution of the internet has had a significant impact in the manner businesses operate and interact with clients and the general public outside their physical stores. Most businesses that used traditional marketing strategies have shifted to the digital era of marketing. The reason for this shift is to increase the target audience while at the same time increasing competitiveness. This change comes with operational costs and risks, security issues, and adaptability challenges. The analysis in this paper takes a broader state of the AT&T Company that mainly operates as a telecommunication company. AT&T is ranked as the second largest telecommunication company at the global level, implying that it has a vast target audience. This paper provides an analysis of AT&T based on its ecommerce presence, database systems, security policies, customer privacy protection, business continuity planning, and finalizes by providing recommendations on areas that the company ought to improve in this digital era.
Final Project Portfolio AT&T
Introduction
The evolution of the internet and the immediate onset of online marketing for the twentieth century is a celebrated breakthrough in the digital marketing. Additionally, the tremendous changes that accompanied the introduction of the internet had significant impact on consumer behavior and the strategy that businesses could use to market and advertise to potential consumers. Businesses responded by creating database systems. Internet marketing attracted the attention of telecommunication companies that sought to solve barriers of communication services. These companies were also interested in providing web hosting services for businesses that were interested in online marketing which has grown to be compulsory due to sensitivity of data and exchange of information over the internet and other web platforms. AT&T is one of the telecommunication and internet companies that have developed to become powerful companies in this digital era. Founded in 1885, AT&T has managed to navigate challenges in the market to remain competitive in delivery of communication and internet services to a rich customer base at the global level. An analysis of the current state of AT&T helps one to understand how the company is navigating the nature of the market and the emerging technological challenges while at the same time meeting the unpredictable changes in customer taste and preferences. The response to internet security has also changed how the company has responded to emerging trends in the technology and how efficiency the changes can be utilized to increase the quality of services that are channeled to clients.
AT&T eCommerce Presence
AT&T has a vast online presence as a webhosting internet service provider as well as an e-commerce company specialized in selling and provision of mobile accessories and devices. The webhosting service is available at https://webhosting.att.com/ , while the online estore is available at / and at https://estore.att.com/Main/Default. The estore site allows clients to purchase items from the store and have them delivery at the point of their choice at a smaller fee. The webhosting is for business websites, academic portals, government websites, as well as domain names for private and public businesses. Small businesses seeking webhosting services as well as registering domain names can log in and register at a fee of $6 per year. The website at HYPERLINK "/" / is specifically for providing wireless communication services including TV channels, mobile devices, TV streaming services, voice data and network services, as well as the sale and distribution of mobile and digital services. AT&T as a telecommunication company is ranked the first company in the United States with a share market of thirty-six percent. Other services that clients can purchase online include data bundles for streaming live videos and football events, provision of internet carrier services, and delivery of data coverage for events across different industries. AT&T has expanded to dominate telecommunication presence in almost every sector including the transport industry, finance, health, hospitality, manufacturing, retail, and public sector. The goal of the company is to diversify its presence with an intention of maintaining diverse sources of income from the rich global market
One of the primary roles that AT&T has played in the market is through its provision of industry solutions to businesses and the public sector. Through the company’s webhosting services, the company has managed to play a crucial role in keeping role in keeping businesses and clients connected not only over the internet, but also through provision of reliable network coverage across the United States. At the global level, the company has established partnering solutions to upcoming businesses whereby it allows them to connect with the established businesses with the goal of increasing coverage and simplifying globalization.
AT&T uses two main types of ecommerce business models. The B2B model helps the company to interact with other businesses through interacting over the internet and the web platform. The B2B model include webhosting, streaming of videos and TV shows, wireless network services, domain name provision, as well as the sale of mobile devices and their accessories. B2C model is applicable in the manner the company interacts with clients at the individual level. This includes the provision of streaming services, and wireless communication services. B2C model has helped the company to market directly to the potential clients through provision of mobile networking services and administration of individual services to clients whenever there is a need for that service. As a leading telecommunication company in the United States, AT&T Company has intensified service delivery and extended its services to clients with an intention of reducing turnover rates and increasing the quality of customer service and experience over the network.
Being the leader in the global telecommunication industry, AT&T has embraced mobile commerce (M-commerce) to a larger scale of its business and marketing strategies. Golden and Regi (2013) define M-commerce as a marketing strategy where clients use hand-held devices to purchase and make payments for goods and services. The purchase and sale of goods can happen remotely or at the counter when the client is making payment. M-commerce has helped AT&T to reach out to a significant number of clients in the market including small businesses and personal clients. In 2016, AT&T became the leading company in the provision of mobile barcode services in the United States and at the global level. The diversification of its services from the provision of webhosting services, sale of mobile devices, provision of wireless services, and business domain names has helped the company to increase its customer base and magnify its online presence in numerous dimensions. The overall outcome from this diversification strategy is increased revenue flow that creates its stability even when there is an intense competition in the market. There is also reliability in service delivery, especially in the manner that the company has sought to expand the M-commerce platform by including remote login and access of services by clients over its website. Full-time customer services including the availability of in-app promotions and responds to consumer concerns has helped the firm to maintain a mutual link with clients and attract new partners.
AT&T Database System
AT&T has traversed the business world to modernize while at the same time increasing customer experience. Currently, the company is using a relational database system which it acquired after partnering with oracle in 2017 (Shores, 2017). The new agreement allowed AT&T to shift all its internal database services to Oracle, providing it with an access to the latest and secure features of iCloud storage and handling of data. After forming the new mutual agreement, the two companies embarked on a process of enhancing customer service delivery and accessibility of its services by both internal management systems and external service providers. The advantage of the relational database system is in its flexibility and ability to handle vast amount of data. Flexibility allows the database system to be modified and incorporate new data without affecting the existing data sources. The simplicity of this database system is also helps users to interact with it without necessarily requiring introduction of complex technology or extensive training for new users. Anyone that has prior spreadsheet knowledge can comfortable use the database system.
AT&T Security Policies
The motivating factor in AT&T business is to keep people connected. Unfortunately, this responsibility is accompanied by risks and security issues that threaten exchange of data over the internet. Additionally, due to the wide range of business activities and the vast range of services that take place over the company’s website and its related sites, AT&T has developed security policies that seek to secure the rights of all people that interact over its platform while at the same time seeking to reach out to a vast number of clients.
The AT&T security systems address network and data security. Network security policies address the telecommunication issues that affect usage and access to the company’s telecommunication systems and its services. The policies are designed to address the attack of internet networks and Internet of Things (IoT) which may surface in terms of viruses, cyber-attacks, ransomwahre, worms, and phishing. Since the company plays a role of creating a network where businesses interact with clients and other businesses, AT&T has introduced security mechanisms that are reliable and secure. Strict focus has been on the maintenance of reliable communication channels that carry government data, especially due to cyber-attacks that target the exchange of information over AT&T network platforms.
Due to the vastness and size, AT&T has its independent AT&T Chief Security Office (CSO) that handles global security operations for different corporations. The security policy is enhanced through the use of management of security policies and resolution of security issues. CSO has more than six hundred security professionals at the global level in addition to more than one thousand five hundred security personnel that are in management and resolution of security issues that affect delivery of network services and communication issues. AT&T security standards that are in line with ISO/IEC 27001:2013 which reflect the National Institute of Security and Technology (NIST). AT&T Company also maintains the global ISO 27001 policy that is responsible for maintaining security issues related to certification and management of information security management systems (ISMS). AT&T works together with its stakeholders such as the CSO in creating awareness on security issues and facilitating security updates and training to employees and other stakeholders in the industry and the global level.
To facilitate delivery of quality services, AT&T has partnered with other institutions such as The International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC), The Information Systems Security Association, SANS Institute, and Vendor-and –product-specific training and certification. The goal is to expose employees to latest security development programs that are in line with the expectations of clients and the organizational needs at the market level. The security professionals are then employed in diverse sector and market industries to work as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified Information Systems Manager (CISM), Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), and Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC). The firm ensures regular review of its security systems and compliance with legal procedures to provide effective service and experience to its clients. Regular tests for compliance and vulnerability are conducted to e...