Completely off-topic, I apologize. I'm traveling and I don't get to post much and when I get the chance to post, I take advantage of it.
I have held shares in ATT for decades; started with a gift from my father to our daughters. I really don't know how well I could have done elsewhere compared to ATT, but it really has been quite an incredible run. Not much appreciation over the years (at least lately) but the dividends keep rolling in. I see ATT is now paying 6.7%. Savings accounts in banks -- what are they paying -- 1%?
One has to be impressed with ATT committing itself to these high payouts. ATT is in a very competitive business. It has committed to heavy capital spending to improve its network and would probably like to use the dividend money for this capital expenditure; to continue with the high dividend, one has to give ATT some credit.
I do not hold shares in my favorite company, AAPL. I missed investing in AAPL years ago and took a different investing route (mostly energy and telecommunications). When I started investing, AAPL was not in telecommunications. I missed AAPL but not upset; there are always places to invest. My daughters and I grew up with Apple computers. They were six years old and two years old when we got our first Apple computer in 1984/1985 time frame. They and I have never had anything other than Apple in our homes. I am not recommending AAPL one way or the other; just commenting/reminiscing on a great company/great memories. We got our first Apple computer while stationed overseas in Germany.
Getting back to T: I think traders can do very, very well in this market due to the volatility but one has to be a) nimble; and, b) courageous. I am neither. I am not a trader; just an investor, and tend to buy and accumulate, selling infrequently. I tend not to buy a stock if it doesn't pay a dividend. Over time, all of my dividend-paying companies have increased their dividend payouts and it really makes a difference. One doesn't get rich, but it helps.
This will all come to an end in the not-too-distant-future when tax rates go back up on dividends, but that's fine. The country voted to "spread the wealth" by "transferring money from successful corporations and investors to government programs." It could be worse: the federal government hasn't nationalized any companies except, depending on one's definition of nationalizing, General Motors and the big banks.