antonio010
join:2002-11-24 | Wow Now, this is unexpected. I had always thought Alltel would be an acquisition targeted by Sprint. | |
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  Tel
join:2001-10-12 Mauldin, SC
·AT&T Southeast
| Re: Wow As a long time user of Alltel, a former customer of Verizon, and an employee of AT&T, I hate to see it. I was never happy with Verizon's service and I give up the employee discount with AT&T because of their coverage in my area. I have been very happy with every aspect of my Alltel service. My son works for Alltel and I can't wait to get his reaction on this although I'm thinking it won't be a good reaction...LOL | |
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  notony
@rcn.com
| said by antonio010 :Now, this is unexpected. I had always thought Alltel would be an acquisition targeted by Sprint. ummm no...i guess you're unaware of sprint's never ending troubles: drop in valuation since nextel aquisitions, continued losses of $ and customers, new CEO, endless troble integrating nextel division, spectrum reallocation as part of deal with fcc. their hands are tied now sir. | |
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 |   GlenQuagmire Giggidy Giggidy Giggidy Goo Premium join:2004-02-16 Grand Rapids, MI | Re: Wow I don't think any other wireless carrier whats to touch the CDMA / IDEN cluster f#$%. Verizon wants to make money not dump it into a bottomless pit. | |
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 |  |  patcat88
join:2002-04-05 Jamaica, NY
| Re: Wow said by GlenQuagmire :the CDMA / IDEN cluster f#$%. Thats dead, Sprint will never release another CDMA/IDEN hybrid phone, and Sprint says they were a mistake. Even if Qchat never comes out, the CDMA part is still attractive, Nextel can be sold off to an equity firm. | |
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 |  |  |  EPS
join:2008-02-13 Hingham, MA
| Re: Wow The problem is the hybrids are propping up the CDMA side. Every single situation I know of with people having hybrid phones are former Nextel users who have the hybrid for the iDEN features, but are counted as CDMA customers by Sprint's metrics- without them the CDMA-side doesn't look so hot. (and iDEN looks a bit better) | |
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 |   SuperCPA Premium join:2002-11-28 Dayton, OH | Amen. | |
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  NOCMan Verizon Fios User Premium join:2004-09-30 Flower Mound, TX
| I am not surprised. Verizon and AT&T face the real possibility that T-Mobile would buy Sprint thus creating the the new largest cellular carrier with Verizon and AT&T being ranked 2 & 3 respectively.
This would ensure Verizon maintains the top spot. Still Verizon has serious issues with their phone lineup. They've been in denial about the iPhone since it has come out and refuse to carry the Nokia N95 CDMA version which is a good technical competitor to the iPhone. With the new software and dev kit Verizon and other carriers will be faced with teh hard decision on what to do. Verizon's open phone initiative does not provide any of the features the iPhone/iTunes and it's soon business features.
Having just won the C block I'm trying to fathom how they have 27 billion to just purchase this company. I would more expect that Vodaphone would buyout Verizon Wireless outright since the valuation of the dollar makes them a bargain compared to 3 years ago when the rumors reached their peak.
Of course Verizon Landline would die a slow death of that were to happen without Verizon Wireless supplementing their lack of income. Perhaps Vodaphone may consider gaining the controlling stake and allow the merger to happen with Alltel which would give them the largest global LTE footprint of any of the wireless carriers. They would be in a great situation go get concessions from Apple to allow them access to the other 1/3 of the US Market. That is something that Apple needs badly to accelerate their US sales numbers. | |
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 |  EPS
join:2008-02-13 Hingham, MA
| Re: Wow Vodafone has tried to get control, but Verizon won't give it up. There was a recent revolt by Vodafone's shareholders who actually want to ditch VZW altogether. Though it looks good on paper, in the past few years VZW has actually spent its profits on paying down its debt and not as dividends to the company's owners- no money going to VZ or VOD.
Vodafone's president recently said they expect VZW to start paying dividends again soon, since they paid off the vast majority of their pre-700MHz debt. However, with the 700MHz auction and now this acquisition, they'll have a lot of debt again... I think this may finally cause VOD to take action.
Note that while on paper VOD is a much larger company than VZ, they'd probably run into a lot of trouble trying to buy-out VZ (as has been rumored, and then sell off VZ landline to some mysterious FiOS-killing private equity firm) due to trouble in the credit markets, and Vodafone's own reputation with bad acquisitions (see Mannesmann)- they posted the largest loss in British corporate history in 2007.
Now, this doesn't necessarily mean that VZW becomes 100% VZ- the Vodafone shareholders I mentioned earlier actually wanted to spin off the 45% of VZW to the company's shareholders, which would essentially turn VZW into a publicly traded company, albeit one controlled by another publicly traded company. | |
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 |  patcat88
join:2002-04-05 Jamaica, NY | Vodafone owns 49%, not majority. Verizon will never sell its quadruple play baby. | |
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  KrK Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy Premium join:2000-01-17 Tulsa, OK | More consolidation in market, elimination of competition.... | |
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  HateVZWireless
@cox.net | Gee, I loved Alltel for 5 years. Guess I have to find a new carrier. Have to wait and see if they screw up my service since I'm no longer in a contract. | |
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 |   Jame
@rr.com | Re: Wow
I have also been an Alltel customer since 2005 and have loved it. I also previously was a Verizon customer. I hate Verizon Wireless and if they take over Alltel I will have to find a new provider for my cell phone. I am furious about this. | |
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