AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) Has Sold 6.4 Million Smartphones In Two Months

AT&T Inc.(NYSE:T) is moving more devices than expected in the fourth quarter, according to comments from Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T Mobility. 

De la Vega said AT&T is headed for record fourth quarter smartphone sales. AT&T has already sold 6.4 million smartphones in the first two months of the Quarter and now expects to sell 26 million smartphones this year, 1 million more than previously expected. He also said "those two months alone would be the second best smartphone sales quarter for AT&T Mobility."

The company has improved its supply of iPhones, and De la Vega also touted some of the other smartphones in AT&T's lineup, including the LG Optimus G and Nokia Lumina 920.

De la Vega was also bullish on tablets, noting the company's recent $100 promotion and the mobile data share plan have driven interest in the area. It's also the first time when all the three major operating systems have tablets, from Apple's iPad, to Android tablets, including the Kindle Fire HD, and tablets running on Microsoft's Windows 8 and Windows RT.

The amount of data customers are signing up for on those plans has also exceeded expectations. According to De la Vega, fully 25 percent of customers on shared data plans have selected data buckets of 10 GB and higher. 

De la Vega also weighed in on some of the key growth areas for the company, including home security and mobile payments. AT&T plans to launch its home security and automation service, which it unveiled earlier this year at the CTIA Wireless trade show, in early 2013, and will offer it at its stores and other distribution channels, he said.

The home security industry is worth $18 billion and operates with margins in the 35 to 40 percent range. De la Vega said AT&T has an even lower cost structure, which could mean big profits down the line.

De la Vega declined to talk about future deployment plans for ISIS, its mobile payment joint venture with Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile USA. He only said the trials were going well and that merchants have expressed interest in utilizing the near-field communication technology that enables people to tap and pay for goods with their smartphones.