Consumer advocate opinion about yesterday's news that Verizon Wireless was considering a purchase of Alltel seem mixed. The $27 billion deal would tack Alltel's 13.2 million subscribers on to Verizon, creating the largest wireless carrier in the industry with more than 80 million subscribers. AT&T was previously the largest with 71 million.

"If the deal goes through, two companies, Verizon and AT&T, will control about 150 million of the 260 million wireless customers in the U.S.," warns Public Knowledge. "With Sprint in a weakened condition, this deal will speed the unfortunate trend of giving consumers fewer, rather than more, choices in telecommunications services, while giving a few companies more control over the lives of consumers."

Other groups were less concerned. "We'll ask for a careful review, but I don't see enormous antitrust problems," Gene Kimmelman of the Consumers Union tells the Wall Street Journal. What will consumers get out of the deal? Probably higher bills, says one analyst.