*Breakdown the wireless Market*

[Apoc]

You know every market has there giants theres M/S, AT&T, Verizon Wireless etc. Now with that out of the way lets focus on the wireless competetion. Of course everyone has heard of Verizon Wireless,AT&T Wireless,Sprint etc. But if you notice there really is not a difference usually there is always a pretty close margin between all of the carriers. But in Mobile communications there are to many companies to go around leaving the market with no profit to gain. With all the regulations no other company really has an advantage unless they buy out other little wireless companys and add them all into one. Hence with what happen with Sprint and PCS-ONE Merger. And the biggest one Airtouch,PrimeCO,Alltel, GTE wireless. (not all of these companies) just a fair portion. And there are all these talks about mergers , I say let them happen and lets all push for it (well within in are power) this will make for more affordable price plans, equipment on the services.

Heres what I suggest leave 5 Companies-- Here are my picks leave yours for comparison.
1. Verizon Wireless
2. AT&T Wireless
3. Sprint PCS
4. Cingular
5. Toss up (Voicestream or Cell-One)

[KevinJames]

Well its good to know you're in agreement with what industry analysts have predicted for years now. (Not the particulars, just the essence.)

[Tommyboy]

Wasn't Cell-one bought up by Cingular across the country? There are some regional exceptions like in the Idaho area but for the most part cell-one is cingular. With that said, I think Voicestream would be your 5th.

Cellular One's across the country are being gobbled up by bigger carriers, but there are still a BUNCH of them! Cellular One West covers over 15 states, and would be a great takeover candidate for AT&T, except that C1 West is mostly CDMA!

Within a few hundred miles of my home is Cellular One of NE Arizona, Cellular One of NE Colorado, Cellular One West, and Cellular One USA(Dobson) that are still very much individual businesses. They are all ripe for takeover, but they get so much roaming revenue from other major, and minor carriers, there's no hurry to sell out.

-Bill Radio
-www.mountainwireless.com

[larry]

Apoc,

Sprint has never mergered with PCS-ONE. In fact I believe they are a GSM carrier in PA so this couldn't have happened.

Bill,

There is also a Cellular One running in the Bishop, Mammoth, and Oakhurst areas of CA as well. I'm not sure if that's seperate than the ones you mentioned.

[Apoc]

Larry,

I stand corrected you are right the merger between PCS-ONE will or has happend with Voicestream which in fact is a GSM based company. Thank You for the reply

[larry]

Sprint has pretty much been the only major carrier of the big 4 to have built their entire network without any mergers. One small exception was their 1999 buy-out of PrimeCo in Honolulu. In fact if it wasn't for AT&T's last two acquistions they would be in a virtual tie with Sprint right now for 3rd place in number of subscribers. It seems to me that when Sprint gets close, AT&T will go and buy someone else out to keep ahead.

[Jackstar]

I think it is interesting that even companies that are not merging, are sharing networks. Cingular and At and T ammounced that they will share networks. I believe Voice Stream and Cingular are also sharing networks. In addition, since there will only be two major types of networks for 3G (not including Nextel), it seems like it will be even easier for companies to merge. Why not Qwest with Sprint? Reputations can only get better!

[larry]

I'm really hoping for a Sprint/Alpine PCS merger since both are CDMA and both are trying to build networks in the same costal California locations such as Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Salinas, etc. The only way that both carriers would be able to build decent networks quickly is to merge their sites together since it's very tough to get sites approved in these areas.

[Apoc]

I do know alot of people that have a dealings with Sprint PCS and not exactly sure what the outcome of the 3g will become in most markets any ideas??

In my market(Ukiah, California, 100 Miles N of SF), that would leave us with just two carriers again. Currently, we have three: Edge Wireless(AT&T Wireless affiliate), US Cellular, and Verizon. Sprint PCS, Cingular, and Voicestream all have yet to build out there systems here, though they have been liscenced to do so in this area for several years. I have Verizon myself, and this consolidation would not really affect me, though it would reduce the competition here. I don't know who would acquire US Cellular, perhaps AT&T or Cingular.