dslreports logo
 story category
AT&T Tries To Sell T-Mobile Deal
Patriotism, Spectrum Bogeymen, and Lower Prices?

After surprising everybody with their Sunday announcement that they'd be buying T-Mobile for $39 billion, AT&T today began the difficult process of trying to convince the public and regulators that eliminating one of the four major carriers -- while making AT&T even larger -- is in any way a good deal for consumers. AT&T's sales pitch included a presentation to analysts and the media and this new website exploring the deal in more detail.

The sales pitch is multi-pronged, with the tip of the AT&T argument being that the deal is somehow patriotic -- given it helps support Obama's goal to cover 95% of the nation in next-generation wireless. AT&T in particular proclaims that if the deal is approved (the old "network upgrades as leverage to get what we want" approach), they'll be able to reach millions of additional households with LTE:

quote:
Click for full size
With this transaction, AT&T commits to a significant expansion of robust 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) deployment to 95 percent of the U.S. population to reach an additional 46.5 million Americans beyond current plans – including rural communities and small towns. This helps achieve the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and President Obama’s goals to connect “every part of America to the digital age.” T-Mobile USA does not have a clear path to delivering LTE.
The problem with that promise is that, as we noted at the time, Obama's wireless promise was rather hollow, given he was promising to reach a goal the wireless industry would have achieved in the normal course of business with or without the government's involvement. The 98% goal would also be reached with or without an AT&T-T-Mobile merger. AT&T's second major point is that the deal is necessary due to a looming spectrum crisis:
quote:
For different reasons both AT&T and T-Mobile are facing impending spectrum shortages in major markets. AT&T has been at the leading edge of mobile data growth on our network as a result of supporting more smart phones, more tablets and more eReaders than anyone else in the country. This has created an urgent need — an ongoing need for significantly more spectrum to support this explosive demand. T-Mobile is also limited in its spectrum capacity, so much so that T-Mobile has no spectrum to build out an LTE network.
Click for full size
Roughly 70-90% of AT&T's owned spectrum currently sits unused according to an e-mail from industry analyst Dave Burstein. While the FCC has been arguing there's a "spectrum crisis" and that spectrum squatters don't exist, a significant number of large companies (like AT&T) are currently sitting on massive swaths of the valuable public resource. The deal may help AT&T shore up spectrum in a few select markets, but the deal is not about solving a "spectrum crisis," since AT&T is already swimming in unused spectrum.

AT&T offered up a few other arguments for the deal, claiming consumers will see lower prices and better city coverage -- both claims AT&T customers and those familiar with these kinds of mergers can parse out for themselves.

Framing the merger as a patriotic move aimed at supporting government wireless plans is a clever sales pitch, but it's unlikely to even remotely address the significant and legitimate criticisms this deal will generate. AT&T's presentation is designed entirely to obscure the fact the deal is largely about reducing competition and preventing T-Mobile from evolving into a serious threat. Undiscussed of course is the impact the deal will have on the elimination of redundant employment positions at T-Mobile during a sour economy. Also undiscussed is how exactly growing immensely larger is going to solve AT&T's persistent problem of having the lowest customers satisfaction rating among the big carriers.
view:
topics flat nest 
page: 1 · 2 · next
FrontirCynic
join:2006-10-25
Long Beach, CA

FrontirCynic

Member

Are you kidding?

ATT:

5% of staff/capital for: uverse buildout/tech support/engineering/tower placement

95% staff/money for: lobbying, marketing, media ads, fake studies, how to boost stock price, astroturfing, spin etc.

MovieLover76
join:2009-09-11
Cherry Hill, NJ
(Software) pfSense
Asus RT-AC68
Asus RT-AC66

MovieLover76

Member

So glad I just left for Verizon

I get my verizon phone on tuesday, knowing AT&T they will take the worst parts of both companies.
AT&T will retain their crappy customer service as the migrate t-mobiles excellent customer service to their crappy service and the fast growing t-mobile network deployment will grind to a halt as AT&T hates spending any actual money on their network.
This is going to be a LOSE - LOSE for everyone, I feel worst for the current t-mobile subscribers the current network has patchy coverage but if you live in an area that is well covered the speeds are nice and fast.
jus10
join:2009-08-04
Gainesville, VA

1 recommendation

jus10

Member

Re: So glad I just left for Verizon

I think most t-mobile subscribers who hate AT&T like myself will leave when our contracts are up. Fortunately, it looks like it'll take at least a year for the AT&T integration to be approved so that should give enough time for my existing contract to expire.

Then it'll be Verizon or Sprint if Sprint becomes what T-Mobile used to be before the dark times. Before the Empire ...
LostInWoods
join:2004-04-14

1 recommendation

LostInWoods

Member

Re: So glad I just left for Verizon

My guess is that you wouldn't have that choice -- Verizon would swallow up Sprint in response.

The real question to me is whether they try to do so as a tactic to get the ATT/TMO deal scotched. This would be similar to Coca Cola buying Dr Pepper in response to Pepsi buying 7-Up in the mid 1980's. The FTC killed both deals as anti-competitive. This is similar, with a helluva lot more importance on the US economy than sugar-water. The question is whether the FTC still has a spine.

mech1164
I'll Be Back
join:2001-11-19
Lodi, NJ

mech1164

Member

Re: So glad I just left for Verizon

said by LostInWoods:

The question is whether the FTC still has a spine.

One word NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alcohol
Premium Member
join:2003-05-26
Climax, MI

Alcohol to LostInWoods

Premium Member

to LostInWoods
said by LostInWoods:

My guess is that you wouldn't have that choice -- Verizon would swallow up Sprint in response.

The real question to me is whether they try to do so as a tactic to get the ATT/TMO deal scotched. This would be similar to Coca Cola buying Dr Pepper in response to Pepsi buying 7-Up in the mid 1980's. The FTC killed both deals as anti-competitive. This is similar, with a helluva lot more importance on the US economy than sugar-water. The question is whether the FTC still has a spine.

Verizon said they don't want Sprint.

Also, you should look up how much AT&T has paid (bribed) the government in the last 10 years.
fldiver
Premium Member
join:1999-12-27
Jacksonville, FL

fldiver to jus10

Premium Member

to jus10
Ditto on that!

fifty nine
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ

fifty nine to MovieLover76

Member

to MovieLover76
You're doing as if Verizon is any different. Hello, both of them have bought the Government wholesale.

Verizon may have a good product in limited areas with FiOS, and nationwide with wireless service.

But just look at how they have basically hung out many customers in rural and even suburban areas to dry. If Verizon truly cared they would not sell off rural markets to losers like Fairpoint and Frontier, and make them agree to ridiculous conditions like not allowing them to expand their fiber optic service areas.

It's all about the money. But the FiOS fanboys got theirs so all hail Verizon.

SimbaSeven
I Void Warranties
join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT
·StarLink

SimbaSeven

Member

Re: So glad I just left for Verizon

said by fifty nine:

It's all about the money. But the FiOS fanboys got theirs so all hail Verizon.

If I could get FiOS here, I'd jump right over.

..but this is Montana, so I highly doubt we'll ever see it.

fifty nine
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ

fifty nine

Member

Re: So glad I just left for Verizon

said by SimbaSeven:

said by fifty nine:

It's all about the money. But the FiOS fanboys got theirs so all hail Verizon.

If I could get FiOS here, I'd jump right over.

..but this is Montana, so I highly doubt we'll ever see it.

No FiOS for you! You'll take capped LTE and enjoy it!

SimbaSeven
I Void Warranties
join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT
·StarLink

SimbaSeven

Member

Re: So glad I just left for Verizon

said by fifty nine:

No FiOS for you! You'll take capped LTE and enjoy it!

..if we even see LTE here.. Maybe in 3-5 years (which is typical).

For now, I'll enjoy my unlimited smartphone 3G goodness. No extra fees here and no bill-in-a-box.
Crookshanks
join:2008-02-04
Binghamton, NY

Crookshanks to fifty nine

Member

to fifty nine
said by fifty nine:

But just look at how they have basically hung out many customers in rural and even suburban areas to dry

Why does Verizon always get criticized for this while T-Mobile gets a pass in spite of the fact that they haven't even bothered to serve those same markets?

Punch up T-Mobile's coverage map for rural America and compare it against Verizon. It's not even close. In my area of Upstate NY T-Mobile is useless the minute you leave the city or wander more than two miles off the interstate.

I realize you are talking about the wireline side of Verizon as opposed to the wireless side but I've never been able to figure out why T-Mobile is immune to this criticism while Verizon is ripped for it. At least with regards to wireless service Verizon makes an effort to reach rural customers.

cdru
Go Colts
MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN

cdru

MVM

Re: So glad I just left for Verizon

said by Crookshanks:

I realize you are talking about the wireline side of Verizon as opposed to the wireless side but I've never been able to figure out why T-Mobile is immune to this criticism while Verizon is ripped for it. At least with regards to wireless service Verizon makes an effort to reach rural customers.

Because T-Mobile has never billed themselves as being a rural cellphone provider or having as large of a rural footprint as AT&T or Verizon have. T-Mobile has always been a predominantly highway and major city provider since it was VoiceStream.

T-Mobile also hasn't built up an area only to offload it to an inferior sucker alternate carrier who struggles to provide even standard services at a competitive price. Well, at least until they sold out to AT&T.
Crookshanks
join:2008-02-04
Binghamton, NY

Crookshanks

Member

Re: So glad I just left for Verizon

said by cdru:

T-Mobile has always been a predominantly highway and major city provider since it was VoiceStream.

So they get a pass on investing in rural America while Verizon gets ripped for allegedly failing to do the same?
said by cdru:

T-Mobile also hasn't built up an area only to offload it to an inferior sucker alternate carrier who struggles to provide even standard services at a competitive price.

Well, two things I'd say to that:

1) Verizon didn't "build up" any rural areas, they inherited most of them from GTE.

2) I don't know anything about Fairpoint but why does everybody here beat on Frontier as some sort of "inferior" carrier? I've lived in and around Frontier's footprint for most of my life and they've made considerable investments in my area to bring DSL to rural areas. I've seen Frontier deploying remote terminals all over the place around these parts. I've yet to see Verizon do the same. Verizon doesn't even bother deploying RTs to reach the suburban areas that are out of range, never mind the rural ones. There are whole neighborhoods in Binghamton that can't get DSL. I can't say the same thing for any of the areas served by Frontier around these parts.

cdru
Go Colts
MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN

cdru

MVM

Re: So glad I just left for Verizon

said by Crookshanks:

So they get a pass on investing in rural America while Verizon gets ripped for allegedly failing to do the same?

They don't get a complete pass, but T-Mobile is a fraction of the size of Verizon. It's not unreasonable to expect major cities to get service first, smaller cities, major towns, smaller towns, then rural. T-mobile has a large amount to grow even in major towns, let alone smaller towns and then rural. Verizon in comparison already has a much larger footprint and while metropolitan areas may get updated towers or upgrades, to continue growing their footprint Verizon is much closer to spreading out in more rural areas.
said by Crookshanks:

1) Verizon didn't "build up" any rural areas, they inherited most of them from GTE.

So most of Verizon's current rural coverage is just from GTE? So they haven't replaced, upgraded, or added additional towers throughout their coverage area? It's just been pretty stagnant for the previous 11 years?

2) I don't know anything about Fairpoint but why does everybody here beat on Frontier as some sort of "inferior" carrier?

It's not just Frontier. Fairpoint had trouble meeting DSL availability that was a condition of the merger approval. They also had various E911 snafus. Both Hawaii Telecom and Fairpoint filed for bankruptcy within a few years.

Frontier recently, after telling regulators that they weren't going to cut services, that they could provide the same level of service that Verizon had, and that they were committed to remaining competitive jacked up cable rates 46% and install fees to $500 for FiOS customers. They also want to transition people from FiOS TV to DirecTV. Frontier also usually ranks at the bottom of the Good/Bad/Ugly list based on reviews here at DSLReports. They also, until relatively recently, had a 5GB cap in their AUP.

If lying to regulators, not providing basic required services, poor customer support, raising rates and fees by an obscene amount, and generally poor reviews don't qualify for inferior carrier status, I'm not quite sure what does.

I've seen Frontier deploying remote terminals all over the place around these parts. I've yet to see Verizon do the same. Verizon doesn't even bother deploying RTs to reach the suburban areas that are out of range, never mind the rural ones. There are whole neighborhoods in Binghamton that can't get DSL. I can't say the same thing for any of the areas served by Frontier around these parts.


MovieLover76
join:2009-09-11
Cherry Hill, NJ
(Software) pfSense
Asus RT-AC68
Asus RT-AC66

MovieLover76 to fifty nine

Member

to fifty nine
Verizon may not be a nicer company, but they at least invest money in their network, while taking all of our money

AT&T finds every way to invest as little as possible and still charges us the same amount as verizon for a vastly inferior product

defiant8
join:2000-09-04
Monroe, MI

defiant8

Member

Why not?!

After all, you know they have the consumers best interest at heart
egilbe
join:2011-03-07

egilbe

Member

Re: Why not?!

If by consumers, you mean the ones who hold ATT stock, then yeah.

i1me2ao
Premium Member
join:2001-03-03
TEXAS

1 recommendation

i1me2ao

Premium Member

prices

haha maw bell is back people..

WeSRT4
join:2000-11-20
Mobile, AL

WeSRT4

Member

Re: prices

She's been back... I guess you didn't notice since you've been busy doing commercials.

»www.youtube.com/watch?v= ··· MDLakxaY
innoman
-
Premium Member
join:2002-05-07
Seattle, WA

innoman

Premium Member

scary

scary thought.
Mr Matt
join:2008-01-29
Eustis, FL

Mr Matt

Member

Will their service turn to crap during the transition?

When AT&T Old merged with Cingular customers from both companies suffered through about a year of crappy service with many dropped calls and coverage issues. I wonder if AT&T new and T-Mobile customers will have to suffer the same fate? How soon will the Bull Shit start with the excuses that prices will have to go up so the wireless weasels can upgrade the networks. Don't believe anything said, that indicates that prices will go down. Now that the T-Mobile fly buzzing around AT&T management has been swatted, I am sure that there will be back room deals between AT&T and Verizon to raise prices and reduce and then sell back features to their customers. Think charging customers for tethering smart phones to use the data plan they are already paying for.

Alcohol
Premium Member
join:2003-05-26
Climax, MI

Alcohol

Premium Member

Re: Will their service turn to crap during the transition?

Simple answer: Yes.

Gbcue
Premium Member
join:2001-09-30
Santa Rosa, CA

1 recommendation

Gbcue

Premium Member

AT&T-Mobile

AT&T will destroy what T-Mobile has worked so hard to create, the most robust nationwide 4G HSPA+ network!
egilbe
join:2011-03-07

egilbe

Member

Re: AT&T-Mobile

I wrote a letter to my senator asking to block this from happening. There is no way that Ma Bell should be resurrected from the grave.
jagged
join:2003-07-01
Boynton Beach, FL

jagged

Member

Re: AT&T-Mobile

kudos to you
im thinking of working on a site or something to make it easier on people and get em involved

fifty nine
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ

fifty nine to Gbcue

Member

to Gbcue
said by Gbcue:

AT&T will destroy what T-Mobile has worked so hard to create, the most robust nationwide 4G HSPA+ network!

But look on the bright side, now T-Mobile customers will have real 4G instead of fake 4G!

SimbaSeven
I Void Warranties
join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT
·StarLink

SimbaSeven

Member

Re: AT&T-Mobile

said by fifty nine:

But look on the bright side, now T-Mobile customers will have real 4G instead of fake 4G!

..I'm sure at&t will prevent that from happening. It's better (and cheaper) to pretend you have 4G than actually having it.
FrontirCynic
join:2006-10-25
Long Beach, CA

FrontirCynic to fifty nine

Member

to fifty nine
Forget all you 4G fanbois..I am goin with ATT+T 5G!!

SimbaSeven
I Void Warranties
join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT
·StarLink

1 edit

SimbaSeven

Member

Re: AT&T-Mobile

said by FrontirCynic:

Forget all you 4G fanbois..I am goin with ATT+T 5G!!

I thought they were coming out with InfiniG next year.

"at&t's new InfiniG technology.. Infinity times better than your current xG service! Guaranteed to exceed your caps in under a minute of usage, and check out our overage fees per BIT!"
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9 to Gbcue

Premium Member

to Gbcue
As long as you are in a major city, sure TMo may have the most 'robust' nationwide network.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

1 edit

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: AT&T-Mobile

said by openbox9:

As long as you are in a major city, sure TMo may have the most 'robust' nationwide network.

quote:
AT&T offered up a few other arguments for the deal, claiming consumers will see lower prices and better city coverage
If AT&T keeps all the T-Mobile towers in major cities as well as their own, then AT&T coverage will improve markedly in the major cities.

stevennb
Ok, But, Thats The Last Straw.
Premium Member
join:2001-05-08
Wayne, NJ

stevennb to Gbcue

Premium Member

to Gbcue
Do you get paid for each time you type the word "Robust"?

Cheese
Premium Member
join:2003-10-26
Naples, FL

Cheese to Gbcue

Premium Member

to Gbcue
And it's not really 4G either
gorehound
join:2009-06-19
Portland, ME

gorehound to Gbcue

Member

to Gbcue
Time for Ma Bell and I will be very surprised if our government stands up for the people of the USA.

S_engineer
Premium Member
join:2007-05-16
Chicago, IL

S_engineer

Premium Member

The Moffit update:

'Craig Moffett, analyst with Bernstein Research, cut his rating on Sprint Nextel to underperform from market perform, just one week after having upgraded his rating. Moffett said that with its own T-Mobile deal off the table, the company is “left to go it alone.” '
»www.marketwatch.com/stor ··· id=yhoof

This BS comes under the headline ....get ready for it......are your feet up?.........."AT&T promises better service from merger"

SimbaSeven
I Void Warranties
join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT
·StarLink

SimbaSeven

Member

Re: The Moffit update:

said by S_engineer:

This BS comes under the headline ....get ready for it......are your feet up?.........."AT&T promises better service from merger"

Wow.. I can smell that BS from here. Didn't they say the same when they bought the rest of Alltel divestitures around the country?
meowmeow
join:2003-07-26
Helena, MT

meowmeow

Member

Re: The Moffit update:

And I really believe that's what we're going to get. I can't use my new phone (a Samsung Captivate) until April 12 so I'm not sure yet. But:

1. They gave me a Samsung Captivate for free to replace an old Blackberry Tour (I could have also picked the Blackberry Torch, HTC Aria, BlackBerry Curve, Palm Pre Plus, or any Windows Phone 7).

2. I get to keep my Alltel plan.

3. They're going all-HSPA and massively expanding backhaul. People in areas already converted are reporting speeds approximately 4-5 times what Alltel's were.

4. They're planning to "jump on a moving train" so to speak and rapidly expand Alltel's coverage (which is already much better than Verizon's here)

How is any of that BS?
FrontirCynic
join:2006-10-25
Long Beach, CA

FrontirCynic

Member

can we call it AT&T&T ?

lol. We also need a new "death star" logo that we ("att mgt") can spend $5 million designing as its more urgent than new cell towers and will look good on new letters from lobbyists to congress. Its all a win win win for consumers.....

•••••

n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY

n2jtx

Member

Hope It Fails

As long as I have had a cell phone I have been a T-Mobile customer because of the price and value they offered. Just as I avoid the gigantic banks because of their myriad collection of fees and lousy interest rates, I avoid AT&T and VZW because they are the most expensive providers of what should be a commodity service.

What AT&T is really looking forward to is 35 million new people to gouge with higher fees and lousier plans. I don't for one minute believe they will continue to offer the kinds of value plans that T-Mobile offers even though they claim the merger will save $40 billion. Save for who? If anything, the customers will get even higher charges.

I have a 500 minute a month plan with unlimited nights and weekends for $29.99/month without a contract. Am I stupid enough to think AT&T will let me keep THAT plan as long as I choose to be a customer? Fat chance! They will probably tell me I need an unwanted smartphone (have an iPod Touch 4 that I am happy with) with 300 minutes a month, text package and data plan for $89.99. I recall the problems the old AT&T Blue customers went through after Cingular took over the old AT&T and I don't think us T-Mobile customers will fare any better.

I am all for competition and I hope the FTC sees this for what it is. If anything, I could accept a buyout if it was something along the lines of Rogers/Fido in Canada. A wholely owned subsidiary that was free to set its own rates and plans. They could share the network but would each retain their own customers.

MyEye
The eyes have it
Premium Member
join:2004-06-07
Natick, MA

MyEye

Premium Member

Re: Hope It Fails - covering my eye.

said by n2jtx:

I have a 500 minute a month plan with unlimited nights and weekends for $29.99/month without a contract. Am I stupid enough to think AT&T will let me keep THAT plan as long as I choose to be a customer? Fat chance! They will probably tell me I need an unwanted smartphone (have an iPod Touch 4 that I am happy with) with 300 minutes a month, text package and data plan for $89.99.

Yes, 500! Me too ... the non-contract part was a welcome path to purchase a non-advertised Nokia phone which meets all my needs and works with well with T-mobile. I probably could have predicted something like this would happen, though. It almost always follows a product purchase that I can really afford and am totally satisfied with ... like a few obsolete artifacts floating around my Warehouse 13 basement!

corster
Premium Member
join:2002-02-23
Oshawa, ON

corster to n2jtx

Premium Member

to n2jtx

Re: Hope It Fails

said by n2jtx:

I am all for competition and I hope the FTC sees this for what it is. If anything, I could accept a buyout if it was something along the lines of Rogers/Fido in Canada. A wholely owned subsidiary that was free to set its own rates and plans. They could share the network but would each retain their own customers.

That's not the way it is... Fido is just a brand of Rogers.... nothing like the Fido before they got bought out
Storage_Guy
join:2006-04-30
Benton Harbor, MI

Storage_Guy

Member

If my plan changes

I will stay with T-Mobile as long as I keep my Even More Plus family plan...but I really doubt that will happen once AT&T takes over. Then it's over to Sprint for my family.

••••

WeSRT4
join:2000-11-20
Mobile, AL

WeSRT4

Member

Petition to deny approval

I'll be signing it for sure. Let's get it going!

TCub
Premium Member
join:2008-09-03
Olmsted Falls, OH

TCub

Premium Member

Re: Petition to deny approval

I was thinking the same thing this morning. I'd bet there would be plenty of signatures. I don't think anyone started on yet.

Alcohol
Premium Member
join:2003-05-26
Climax, MI

Alcohol to WeSRT4

Premium Member

to WeSRT4
said by WeSRT4:

I'll be signing it for sure. Let's get it going!

It won't matter.

WeSRT4
join:2000-11-20
Mobile, AL

WeSRT4

Member

Sprint

Sprint needs to go ahead and buy up Cellular South and a couple of other regional carriers. It's the only way they can survive. If they had decent coverage here I'd be porting right now.

I could also see Comcast buying out Sprint.... it will be interesting for sure.

mix
join:2002-03-19
Romeo, MI

mix

Member

Re: Sprint

How about MetroPCS?

Alcohol
Premium Member
join:2003-05-26
Climax, MI

Alcohol to WeSRT4

Premium Member

to WeSRT4
Sprint will gain hundreds of thousands of new customers when they release the EVO 3D this summer.
posthaste
join:2001-05-20
Champaign, IL

posthaste

Member

Just Sayin'

»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma_Bell

"In 1934, the government set AT&T up as a regulated monopoly under the jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission, in the Communications Act of 1934."

The difference now is that they are an unregulated monopoly, with the Dept. of Justice in their back pocket.

Instead of the DOJ smashing the Ma Bell monopoly as in 1984, you have them blessing each merger.

Facism, as defined by Mussolini, is the combining of State and Corporate power.

Just sayin'.
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

Re: Just Sayin'

AT&T is not a monopoly. The company is the same to pre-1984 AT&T in name only.
sparc
join:2006-05-06

sparc to posthaste

Member

to posthaste
at best you can call this a duopoly between AT&T and Verizon

All the minor players like Sprint end up going bankrupt and their assets sold off to some minor players.
FrontirCynic
join:2006-10-25
Long Beach, CA

FrontirCynic

Member

start writing now

»www.marketwatch.com/stor ··· 11-03-21

(MarketWatch) — AT&T Inc.’s surprise $39 billion deal to acquire T-Mobile USA stunned the telecom sector Monday, giving a lift to several telecom companies, but sending Sprint Nextel Corp. shares into the red as the No. 3 U.S wireless carrier was seen as the big loser from the deal.

AT&T shares edged up 2% to $28.52 after the No. 2 wireless carrier in the U.S. said it would acquire T-Mobile, the nation’s No. 4 mobile-phone company, for $25 billion in cash and the remaining $14 billion in AT&T stock. Deutsche Telekom AG the parent company of T-Mobile, saw its U.S.-traded shares climb as much as 14% following the deal’s announcement.

treich
join:2006-12-12

treich

Member

Its going happen no matter how many signatures you get

Its going to happen no matter how many signatures you get. Just look at centurylink and qwest? look at comcast and NBC? look at verizon wireless and alltel wireless? only 2 big players I see in wireless is going to be ATT and Verizon.

ATT wireless already bought out:
cingular
Centennial Wireless
now T-Mobile.

if anything happens big would be verizon wireless buys out sprint then verizon would be the biggest wireless carrier.

••••••

Veloslave
Geek For God
Premium Member
join:2003-07-11
Martinez, CA

Veloslave

Premium Member

Did they really say "lower prices"???

Really?

How utterly and incredibly insulting.
old_wiz_60
join:2005-06-03
Bedford, MA

old_wiz_60

Member

Lower prices? HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA

Coming from AT&T it is the funniest thing I've heard in weeks.

The merger will go through cause AT&T owns enough Congressmen and key people in the regulatory agencies. There will be "conditions" that are supposed to protect consumers but the conditions will be so weak or ignored as to be worthless.

It will definitely mean higher prices and more fees.

Anytime you hear a wireless provider or cable provider or internet provider talk about "lower prices" you know you are hearing lies.

•••

Bill Neilson
Premium Member
join:2009-07-08
Alexandria, VA

Bill Neilson

Premium Member

It amazes me how anyone could think that

this merger would mean lower prices & better coverage

I mean, I have seen several on other forums state that and I wonder what world they are living on.

This high price of acquiring T-Mobile will shortly lead to a heavy increase in fees while AT&T claims better service yet I doubt anyone sees even the slightest bit of an increase in coverage
cerone
join:2001-10-28
Hollywood, FL

cerone

Member

My oh My

at&t and T-Mobile... I left at&t because of customer service. T-Mobile is #1 in that department. Grant it at&t has the better smart phones by far, T-Mobile was always there for me when I needed to make a late payment. at&t would cut your line until you were able to pay.
I don't know, I just don't know

TypeNameHere
@tmodns.net

TypeNameHere

Anon

Re: My oh My

said by cerone:

Grant it at&t has the better smart phones by far

Excuse me ?
Since when ?
page: 1 · 2 · next