March 5, 2006, 1:30PM
By Business Editors
(c) 2006 Business Wire

SAN ANTONIO & ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 5, 2006--AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T):


-- Natural combination of two leading wireline providers and joint owners of Cingular speeds progress in integrated wireless/wireline services

-- Substantial financial benefits for stockholders of both companies; an expected net present value of $18 billion in synergies resulting from a more than $2 billion annual run rate in synergies expected in 2008, growing to $3 billion in 2010

-- Expect merger to be accretive to AT&T adjusted earnings per share in 2008, double-digit adjusted EPS growth in each of next three years (earnings adjusted for merger integration costs and amortization of intangibles) and significant growth in free cash flow after dividends in 2007 and 2008

Continues @ Chron.com