Four months ago, CEO John Stankey announced that AT&T was moving its headquarters from downtown Dallas to a more sprawling, horizontal, suburban-like campus in Plano. On Tuesday, Stankey took to LinkedIn to offer a first look at the new HQ.

Stankey said his company’s work on the Plano campus is “about far more than real estate. It’s a strategic investment in our people, culture, and the way we work…today and into the future.”

Starting with ‘a clean sheet of paper’

“We started with a clean sheet of paper and a location central to the communities where most of our employees live,” Stankey wrote in his post. “As we kick-off the multi-year journey to build the new campus, we are focused on a few key considerations as we build for today and the next generation of AT&T leaders.”

Those considerations include, per the CEO:

:: “Enabling stronger collaboration and faster execution—designed for the pace and complexity of ongoing transformation as we transition from hardware to software and pivot to a market-based culture.
:: “Supporting life-work integration through amenities that advance well-being and everyday convenience.
:: “Creating a place that will help us attract and retain top talent—where employees are proud to work.
:: “Reinforcing our brand and purpose through a location that extends beyond our campus and has a positive impact on the local area.”

‘Iconic tower’ will serve as a beacon, with a purpose

An iconic tower at AT&T’s new Plano HQ will house advanced cellular technology. [Rendering: AT&T]

The design of AT&T’s new headquarters is very different from its current skyscraper-focused home in the AT&T Discovery District in downtown Dallas. But one note of verticality will be unmistakeable: a looming tower lit in AT&T-branded blue and crowned by a technology-packed globe-like structure evoking the AT&T logo. 

Stankey said the “iconic tower” will be “a foundational part of the campus, delivering world-class cell coverage to the campus and our new home neighborhood.”

“With a globe at the top,” he added, “it will stand out on the horizon, a symbol both of our headquarters and the advanced connectivity we provide across this country.’

Seeing a partial HQ opening in 2028

AT&T’s headquarters move is still years away, since the company will be building its new campus at the site in Plano, located at 5400 Legacy Drive. According to the Dallas Morning News, Stankey is aiming for partial occupancy at the new headquarters “as early as the second half of 2028.”

In his email to employees in early January, Stankey said the new Plano HQ “will provide us with the necessary room to cost effectively consolidate all Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex administrative space, including our three largest locations in Central Dallas, Plano and Irving, and create a corporate campus designed for collaboration, innovation, and engagement.”

AT&T opened its $100 million Discovery District campus in downtown Dallas in 2021, after announcing its plans as far back as 2016. The multi-block district features retail, restaurants, and public spaces, and is centered around Whitacre Tower, where AT&T has been headquartered since 2008.

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