said by airtouch25:If the deal is not approved what then? DT doesn't want to do business here anymore.
Would it be worse for T-Mobile customers to just sit in limbo while DT plans their next move? You can be assured that through all the confusion DT would stop network buildouts, customer service would collapse and employees of the company would be bolting to other industries.
Let's be clear. I can't stand AT&T anymore than anyone else on this board but it was DT (T-Mobile) that sold out. A company should not be forced to operate a business just because grass roots organizations want the buyout blocked.
I'd rather see the acquistion go through but with some major concessions from the buyer. Nobody will trust T-Mobile anymore otherwise.
Your speculation is flawed to think that AT&T is the best solution if Tmobile closes up shop (within a year). Metro PCS and Clearwire are decent alternatives to at least 75% of tmobile customer base. The footprint overlaps with a greater % than that. There is also the possibilty that cable companies might do a mega deal to become a national wireless carrier. AT&T is not a white-knight savior the PR spin weaves it to be. AT&T is willing to spend $39 billion on towers and gear so that they dont' have to spend $239 billion on towers and gear. A nice $200 billion in savings (or there abouts) if the deal doesn't go through. Gear companies and tower companies don't like dealing with AT&T.. so they can afford to gouge them due to their record for being CHEAP on network buildouts & upgrades so they suffer from high price syndrome.. buy less, pay more.
** Now $200 billion wouldn't be so bad if wireless wasn't their only business... they have the entire 35% of the wireline (telco market share... 25% if you include cable companies) business as well. Same deal here too.. stingy on upgrades and suffer the consequences of that in higher build costs. DSL tecnology will get more expensive as fuel prices go higher then they'll wish they bought more FTTP equipment earlier as it will be the same as the dsl stuff as energy costs skyrocket the rest of the year. Now you know why AT&T and Apple were a good fit... choose one size fits all and stick with it, regardless if customers dislike the direction of the business plan.
BTW, there is a growing probability that the merger won't go through. At least, regulators aren't keen on stirring the political pot so at best it's *ON HOLD* until the budget issue gets past a logjam. How long will TMobile wait?