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AT&T to Acquire T-Mobile USA for $39 Billion
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And that is one frightening image. With only two mobile providers, competition will be even more hampered. Anyone recall the two major electricity providers working together in order to jack up kilowatts/hour rates? Yeah, don't think the "free market" works 100% of the time, at least not for us, the lowly common consumer. It's a Walmart/Target/BestBuy world after all.
So this merger will leave:
AT&T
Verizon
Sprint
U.S. Cellular
Do the subcontracting cellular companies count as competitors?
Like Boost and Clear, etc.?
Since I use Sprint, I would obviously prefer they buy T-Mobile.
AT&T
Verizon
Sprint
U.S. Cellular
Do the subcontracting cellular companies count as competitors?
Like Boost and Clear, etc.?
Since I use Sprint, I would obviously prefer they buy T-Mobile.
Actually his father's girlfriend is the girl in the pink dress... she just lost her job.
Unbelievably Cheerful News Story
I find it hard to imagine that the MacRumors author could put that many words together on this without displaying the disgust this development deserves. I hope s/he was just being PC.
I find it hard to imagine that the MacRumors author could put that many words together on this without displaying the disgust this development deserves. I hope s/he was just being PC.
EXACTLY what I was thinking! Then we essentially have a duopoly.
And let's not even get into government involvement and net neutrality!
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This is the BEST description I have ever read describing AT&T.
I knew for YEARS that this would happen. After breaking them up AT&T, those individual (supposedly weaker) little parts just kept getting stronger and better. Now, AT&T is the same juggernaut that it was before.
It's hard to keep anything strong down, and whenever you try, this is exactly what happens, every single time. I, for one, welcome everything that comes with AT&T's newfound purchase. I do not welcome the fact that I have no other GSM options, though.
iPhone price gouging is only saved by the fact that Apple is controlling and demanding, and the fact that Verizon has the iPhone as well. I do fear AT&T is going to start the monopoly ripoff machine, though.
MetroPCS is another, marginally larger than US Cellular. Both use CDMA. Verizon would have a much easier time picking up either or both of those, but the only reason to do it would be for the subscribers, and combined they only have about 15 million.
I think the odds that Verizon acquires Sprint are near zero. The odds that Verizon finally succeeds in buying out Vodafone to take full ownership of Verizon Wireless, however, I think went up quite a bit after this news.
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According to T-Mobile's press release page, T-Mo customers remain such for now (until the merge is complete). They will continue to honor pricing on contracts started before the merger completes.
That has to be the joke of the day.
Apple is the most valued company with the largest cash pile.Competition should be fierce when all carriers move to LTE. There's no need to buy a new phone when switching between ATT and Verizon. Also, LTE will encroach on cable and dsl internet.
Not if the carriers mandate that their devices only work on their spectrum, which, IIRC, Verizon has already stated that they'll do.
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I feel bad for the T-mobile customers who think they got grandfathered-in. Yes you'll be grandfathered-in but over time your service will magically get worse and when you call customer service they will just tell you to get an AT&T sim card and plan.
Are there any ATT customers who think this might actually provide improved coverage and speed? Seems like SOMETHING good could come of this...
I for one didn't read this and think "ZOMG END OF THE WORLD."
I for one didn't read this and think "ZOMG END OF THE WORLD."
Lol
TMobile does not have a 4G infrastructure. They are lying in their ads.
It's just 3G+ or HSPDA+.
One of the reasons why they are selling is, because they don't have the capital to even expand to 4G and they want their customers to be taken care of. They figure they might as well sell now before they lose everyone to real 4G service in a few years.
TMobile does not have a 4G infrastructure. They are lying in their ads.
It's just 3G+ or HSPDA+.
One of the reasons why they are selling is, because they don't have the capital to even expand to 4G and they want their customers to be taken care of. They figure they might as well sell now before they lose everyone to real 4G service in a few years.
Are there any ATT customers who think this might actually provide improved coverage and speed? Seems like SOMETHING good could come of this...
I for one didn't read this and think "ZOMG END OF THE WORLD."
Yes! I hope it does! They will defiantly increate their spectrum, but you know how AT&T are ... they sure know how to F it up.
So what could have the potential to be a decadent 3 layer chocolate cake they'll end up turning it into a grocery store sheet cake with fluffy sugar frosting and some pukie tasting flower on top.
Yup. Welcome to "The United States of America, Inc." After the Supreme Court ruled that corporations may provide unlimited finances to any political figure/party, America will have more businesses and lobbyists moving their politicians into the White House with their divested interests at heart (Ginsburg said she was heavily outvoted by the GWB Supreme Justices). Over the past 1-2 decades small business growth has severely declined in the U.S. More products are being manufactured overseas, and large corporations are cleaning out their competition with tax incentives, deregulation, a weak economy/less jobs, etc (Walmart forced Rubbermaid to close down their US plants to manufacture their products in China in the 90's, when Rubbermaid refused they almost went bankrupt as Walmart is ~60% of their business, so Rubbermaid closed their US plants and along came Walmart to employ ex-Rubbermaid employees who had great salaries and pensions to now make minimum wage).
As for those who have stated that AT&T is already working with t-Mobile. That's not 100% true. Before AT&T acquired Cingular, Cingular had been leasing out their towers to the only other GSM compatible mobile provider to stave off bankruptcy, t-Mobile. Before AT&T acquired Cingular, Cingular renewed those leases and basically screwed AT&T in the process as a good 30-40% of those towers were leased. This is a major factor as to why AT&T service in SoCal and other area's is so horrendous, getting towers approved in area's where competitors already exist is impossible, add area market research, town/city approval, building the towers - all takes years.
So instead of spending all that money, AT&T saved up and waited, and bought out the competition. They knew full well that as the only other GSM provider, t-Mobile would not stand a chance with AT&T's iPhone exclusivity. Sure enough, we will have one major GSM provider. Given Sprint's financial status, I would not be surprised if Verizon is looming in wait. Many businesses who dominate an industry have worked together to gauge prices (electric municipalities, oil/gas companies). Given that Verizon and AT&T work on different bands, it's only a matter of time before it's Verizon and Sprint.
We're all working for "the man", this just solidifies that reality even more so.
Less competition, higher prices,
