[URL]http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/21/AR2011032101429.html?wprss=rss_technology[/URL]
[QUOTE]AT&T said Sunday it has agreed to purchase T-Mobile USA in a $39 billion acquisition that greatly consolidates the wireless industry and tests federal regulators, who will scrutinize whether the deal harms competitors.
The union would create the largest cellular phone carrier in the country and comes as consumers increasingly flock to smartphones and tablets to access the Internet.
Some federal lawmakers immediately expressed concern that the merger would dampen competition and lead to fewer options and higher prices for mobile services.
The merger was a surprise, as Wall Street speculated in recent weeks that Deutsche Telekom would sell its T-Mobile USA unit to Sprint Nextel. Those two companies are struggling to retain subscribers as giants AT&T and Verizon Wireless pick up customers attracted to exclusive partnerships to carry Apple's iPhone and Motorola's Droid.
AT&T announced Sunday that its board and that of Deutsche Telekom had approved the deal, which includes $25 billion in cash and the rest in AT&T stock.
The agreement highlights a fierce race to gain subscribers as network operators deploy new high-speed 4G Internet service , which can bring better and faster - and more expensive - connections.
"This transaction represents a major commitment to strengthen and expand critical infrastructure of our nation's future," AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said in a release.
He said the merged company would bring wireless access to more rural and underserved areas sooner than the separate companies would.
Specifically, AT&T promised to provide 4G wireless services to 95 percent of the population by building more cell towers across the country. That's 46.5 million more consumers than the company originally planned to provide with 4G.
The combined company would have about 130 million users, the most of any U.S. wireless provider. Economists and policymakers have been looking to mobile Internet services as a driver of future growth.
The deal will be closely scrutinized by federal regulators because a merger would have consequences for many consumers.
Key lawmakers, including Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), head of the Senate Judiciary antitrust subcommittee, said in a statement that the group would closely scrutinize the deal for implications on consumer wireless prices and quality of service.
[/QUOTE]
:suicide: fuck.
Well, I guess that's that.
wait hasn't T-Mobile been mocking at&t forever now
Woah...
I wonder what that means for me.....NEW PHONE!
[QUOTE=PaRaD0XX;31114389]I wonder what that means for me.....NEW PHONE![/QUOTE]
It means I'm off to Verizon
snip
I hate how America has no competitive service providers.
wasn't AT&T a monopoly once, which was dissolved by the feds?
One of the dissolved pieces, Cingular, acquired the old name. Now we're just back on our way...
March 21? Really, really late.
That said, I'm sure the merger will be approved with little or no contest from lawmakers. Ma Bell is back and meaner than ever.
Oh god, this is abhorrently late. I apologize, could a mod please block this?
"GO FUCK YASELVES"
"actually, we'd like to buy your company"
"deal"
heard you will have to replace any 3g capable t mobile phone when the merge is finalized since its a different signal from at&t's..
that sucks
$39 billion? Holy fuck
There are no good phone service providers anymore.. Verizon was my #1, but now they dont offer Unlimited Data. AT&T is getting to big.
So basically Verizon needs to take Sprint [I]now[/I]
[QUOTE=Mister Sandman;31115596]"GO FUCK YASELVES"
"actually, we'd like to buy your company"
"deal"[/QUOTE]
fun facts: corporations have shit tons of people managing them, it's not like it's one big person. those advertisements don't necessarily dictate any opinions of people actually managing t-mobile.
[QUOTE=Elecbullet;31114945]wasn't AT&T a monopoly once, which was dissolved by the feds?
One of the dissolved pieces, Cingular, acquired the old name. Now we're just back on our way...[/QUOTE]
I really find it surprising that they're even allowed to buy each other up again. If they're going to split the phone service providers, they should do it in such a way that they don't have to do it again every decade or two.
[QUOTE=Leaf Runner;31122504]fun facts: corporations have shit tons of people managing them, it's not like it's one big person. those advertisements don't necessarily dictate any opinions of people actually managing t-mobile.[/QUOTE]
sshhhh the joke doesn't work if you think logically
AT&T&T-Mobile
I don't like Verizon's new data prices
NONONONONONONONONONONONON
:(
I hate our Carriers. Sprint is the only one with unlimited everything except its on CMDA.
[QUOTE=FullStreak12;31126532]I hate our Carriers. Sprint is the only one with unlimited everything except its on CMDA.[/QUOTE]
What's so bad about CDMA compared to GSM?
Nothing much, just bugs me when I can't talk and use data at the same time. You use it more than you'd think.
AT&T: Gets broken up by antitrust legislation, buys everything up again
[QUOTE=fishyfish777;31132006]AT&T: Gets broken up by antitrust legislation, buys everything up again[/QUOTE]
[img]http://www.phone.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/attmap032820112.jpg[/img]
Everything the trust-busting accomplished back then has been undone, and nobody in government has anything negative to say about it. Unbelievable.
That thing is so confusing.
AT&T, which used to be SBC, is once again trying to become a monopoly.
[QUOTE=meppers;31124346]I don't like Verizon's new data prices[/QUOTE] I have sprint, Its p. good. Unlimited 4g data, Texts, Calls, only $30.
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