AT&T Buys T-Moblie

[Peggy]

Apparently the news just hit today.

According to several different sites, including Business Insider, Mashable.com, AT&T has indeed entered into and agreement to purchase T-mobile for an estimated $39 Billion, in stocks and cash.

This is from Mashable -

AT&T just announced a definitive agreement with Deutsche Telekom to buy T-Mobile USA for $39 billion in cash and stock. In a press release, AT&T said the agreement has been approved by both companies’ boards of directors.
If the deal meets regulatory approval, AT&T will be the largest wireless provider in the United States. The company says the transaction will allow it to expand its 4G LTE network to 95% of the population of the United States, and touts enhanced “quality in the near term” for AT&T and T-Mobile customers.

According to Business Insider -

DALLAS & BONN, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T - News) and Deutsche Telekom AG (FWB:DTE.f - News) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which AT&T will acquire T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom in a cash-and-stock transaction currently valued at approximately $39 billion. The agreement has been approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies.

AT&T’s acquisition of T-Mobile USA provides an optimal combination of network assets to add capacity sooner than any alternative, and it provides an opportunity to improve network quality in the near term for both companies’ customers. In addition, it provides a fast, efficient and certain solution to the impending exhaustion of wireless spectrum in some markets, which limits both companies’ ability to meet the ongoing explosive demand for mobile broadband.

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.

Read More...

 

[Reeve of Shinra]

Been reading about this on dslreports.com -- the topic has 238 comments since it was posted -- I wish my forums had that much activity!

Aside from the spectrum, I don't see what the value would be to AT&T. The 39 billion would go a long way with network development.

My money is on Verizon for the long haul.

 

[Nasr]

Well, it has to be approved first. Sometimes, such deals aren't approved and never go through.

 

[Reeve of Shinra]

worldcom and sprint comes to mind... that never panned out.

 

[ManagerJosh]

Been reading about this on dslreports.com -- the topic has 238 comments since it was posted -- I wish my forums had that much activity!

Aside from the spectrum, I don't see what the value would be to AT&T. The 39 billion would go a long way with network development.

My money is on Verizon for the long haul.

leg up against Verizon's LTE Deployment

 

[Forsaken]

Chances of it happening are pretty slim; AT&T had lots of problems when they acquired Cingular, and them being allowed to merge with another of the 4 largest cellular providers is unlikely. It would also give them a iron grip on GSM in the United States.

Its a highly stupid move by T-Mobile as well; while they were the smallest company in comparison to Verizon (largest), AT&T (second largest), and Sprint (3rd largest), their main saving grace was their customer support, and that they had some of the cheaper/better plans, but lacked more in the way of subsidized phones.

A better move for T-Mobile would have either have been to merge with Sprint (More likely to get passed, and would have proven more innovative their cellular network(s)), or to have partnered with each other in a way that wouldn't bring about an anti-trust case against them. By retaining what they were known for (customer support, better service, and affordable plans), they'd have likely gained more customers back, especially because both AT&T and Verizon have started to manipulate user contracts and double dip into their customers pockets by adding more fees, and additional services that use to be included (Tethering for example).

 

[ManagerJosh]

Chances of it happening are pretty slim; AT&T had lots of problems when they acquired Cingular, and them being allowed to merge with another of the 4 largest cellular providers is unlikely. It would also give them a iron grip on GSM in the United States.

Its a highly stupid move by T-Mobile as well; while they were the smallest company in comparison to Verizon (largest), AT&T (second largest), and Sprint (3rd largest), their main saving grace was their customer support, and that they had some of the cheaper/better plans, but lacked more in the way of subsidized phones.

A better move for T-Mobile would have either have been to merge with Sprint (More likely to get passed, and would have proven more innovative their cellular network(s)), or to have partnered with each other in a way that wouldn't bring about an anti-trust case against them. By retaining what they were known for (customer support, better service, and affordable plans), they'd have likely gained more customers back, especially because both AT&T and Verizon have started to manipulate user contracts and double dip into their customers pockets by adding more fees, and additional services that use to be included (Tethering for example).

Just a minor fact correction. Cingular, a wholly owned subsidary of SBC prior to being a joint venture of SBC and Bellsouth acquired AT&T Wireless and SBC acquired AT&T

 

[Forsaken]

Just a minor fact correction. Cingular, a wholly owned subsidary of SBC prior to being a joint venture of SBC and Bellsouth acquired AT&T Wireless and SBC acquired AT&T

Ah, I misremembered then. I didn't really care much about cell phone companies back then, seeing as they were pretty crappy still .

 

[Blandt]

AT&T has indeed entered into and agreement to purchase T-mobile for an estimated $39 Billion, in stocks and cash.

.

Are you kidding me ? !!!! I'm getting a landline again

 

[Peggy]

Nope not kidding. Sad ain't it? I was hoping if they got bought out by anyone it would be Sprint.

 

[Shelley]

Am I missing something. What's wrong with AT&T? Are they unreliable? is it a financial thing with they're plans being to expensive? Poor service?

 

[Blandt]

Am I missing something. What's wrong with AT&T? Are they unreliable? is it a financial thing with they're plans being to expensive? Poor service?

All of the above
the Evil man ... it's an American corporation in the traditional sense .. latest news from AT&T : When tethering your devices using your iPhone you gotta pay $15 dollars a month on top of of the data plan ... they nickel and dime people to death

Customer service consist of 2 tapes recorded back in the 70ies, we speak to tape recorders

 

[Peggy]

Actually I get very good customer service where I am. I have one AT&T store I go to and I see only 1 lady there, Margherita. She's wonderful and will bend over backwards to do what you need if she possibly can. Only problem is, most times, her hands are tied.

As Blandt said, At&t will nickle and dime you to death. It's crazy. Sprint has much better rate plans. Just no iPhone.

 

[Elizabeth]

Actually I get very good customer service where I am. I have one AT&T store I go to and I see only 1 lady there, Margherita. She's wonderful and will bend over backwards to do what you need if she possibly can. Only problem is, most times, her hands are tied.

Peggy, that's why it's always good to make friends with the head of the store. Their hands aren't tied quite as tight.

I've always gotten very good service from AT&T, and better rates than some others I've been with, but then I'm in the business class customer section. They basically jump thru hoops for their business class customers. But the service is why I have stayed with AT&T. We've tried Verizon and either got very unlucky or something but everyone I dealt with about our account for almost a year was either clueless/rude/or just didn't give a ****. I suspect had we not moved from one state to another, we would have been fine, but we moved and things went to H&LL in a handbasket on that one.

I've always found the T-Mobile ad interesting about how fast their service are since they don't have many of their own towers, they piggyback off others...mostly AT&T towers. If you read the very fine print in their coverage map, they admit they use other's towers.

 

[x4rl]

Opps never even heard of AT&T

 

[Elizabeth]

Opps never even heard of AT&T

From 1875 to 1984, AT&T was the ONLY telephone company in the US. The Justice Dept broke it apart in 1984 because it said it could not be a monopoly and the race began.

 

[Ranger375]

Good, maybe my service in the US will improve. Oddly enough I had better service in Cambodia and Thailand than I do in the US.

 

[Martyn]

Wondering if your get the same with the UK, Orange and T-Mobile merged/brought one or the other, now if your on orange, and you don't get signal you can get t mobile signal.

 

[x4rl]

From 1875 to 1984, AT&T was the ONLY telephone company in the US. The Justice Dept broke it apart in 1984 because it said it could not be a monopoly and the race began.

Well I was born in 1983 and not from that gun slinging side of the world So I guess I had no need to know who they are, Thanks for the info tho

 

[tmb]

As a current tmo customer this will suck if it goes through.