Holy $*&#, AT&T buys T-Mobile USA

Oh wow, finally this is one merger I could just see the FCC say "oh hell no" to.

While we're at it, Coke will buy Pepsi one day, and McD will acquire BK. LOL

 

I think the FCC will approve this deal w/ some tweaks just as they did with the Alltel/Verizon buyout.

 

Alright, looks like that article I read was a farce lol. Not the first time.

 

If this does ever go through, I'd like to see them divest spectrum in the more populated areas of the country,
where AT&T already has too much spectrum, especially Florida & Texas, maybe even the Northeast Corridor.

 

Thanks Yankees368 for the new logo! :thumb::smilebig:

 

So are they gonna be called "at&t-Mobile"? "Blue Monopoly"? "Magenta Death"? "Rogers South"? "Cingular Sensation"? "Sprint's Next"? "And Then There Were None Wireless"? "Blue Hell"?

The possibilities are endless...

 

Reading on here: Will An AT&T Acquisition Of T-Mobile Really Happen?

It appears that if the deal doesn't go thru, then it would really benefit T-Mobile
in the form of a nice spectrum aquirement & roaming agreement

 

Also from this site: Sprint Releases Statement Expressing Thoughts On AT&T Acquisition of T-Mobile USA

Sprint has expressed it's concern about this transaction, and they are not at all happy about it.

 

Hey Mike...like some of your name choices...LOL!! :lmao: But OMG! Cingular again?!? They'd probably have their theme song as: "ONE Cingular sensation..." LOL!! :lmao:

 

While this merger might mean coverage improvements in some areas, the main boost will come from available spectrum. Both companies have significant AWS and 700Mhz assets largely undeployed, and that might give them difficulty with the approval. It is no secret that T-Mobile will benefit the most from this merger, but for the consumer I am not sure this will be a good idea. The pressure that both T-Mobile and Sprint were placing on AT&T and Verizon was keeping prices and consumer options pretty healthy. But if we lose T-Mobile, we can kiss goodbye to that. Sprint alone is not going to make much noise. If you ask me, Sprint is sprinting in reverse gear...LOL! We will also see the end of the $10-dollar data plan, the 24-hr friendly customer service, the cheaper text plans, and the My Faves plans.

If it does get approved I do hope one thing: that with Verizon's iPhone putting pressure on AT&T, and the extra spectrum AT&T gets from T-mobile, they remove the 2GB data limit on AT&T's plans. The only reason AT&T did this was to control the congestion, but with the extra spectrum they should have no excuse. If they don't remove that cap, I will consider going with Verizon. Besides, Verizon is the only carrier with indoor microcells at my job, so they are the only carrier with indoor coverage everywhere. The only thing I don't like about Verizon now is CDMA, which is slower than WCDMA and does not have simultaneous voice and data capability. But with LTE everywhere in a few years that won't be an issue.

Aside from that, if when this is approved, I think it will be a good time to sign up with T-Mobile so you can get grandfathered in to their nice plans while getting AT&T stronger coverage.

 

For reference here are links to the story coverage from the Wall Street Journal and NY Times.

WSJ - AT&T to Buy Rival in $39 Billion Deal

NY Times - AT&T to Buy T-Mobile USA for $39 Billion

 

Thanks Bobolito for the info. I plan to upgrade in June or August so I can get in under a lower rate for the next two years at least.

 

Oh boy... I hope this doesn't screw up my Tmobile prepaid plan... I love it just the way it is and it works for me!!!! worried face....

 

I don't see how it could get any worse. T-Mobile has pretty poor coverage and AWFUL customer service. I experienced it myself and everybody I know that ever had T-Mobile whether it was in my area or out of my area just hated it. Good riddance to the worst carrier of the big four I say.

 

sorry your opinion of T-Mobile is so poor, but 11 of the last 13 JDP awards say differently...just saying. I am more concerned about my job, of which I have invested close to ten years of my life. So when you say good riddance to the worst carrier, remember there is a real effect on the employment of over 25000 people on the line here.

 

Most studies based on coverage and consumer satisfaction from what I have read put Verizon on tops, Sprint second, AT&T third, and T-Mobile dead last. Plus I've yet to see ONE happy T-Mobile customer outside of internet forums.

 

As I have said its more than personal opinion.... I've had friends from Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, and California that have all griped about T-Mobile's poor coverage. Most of them complained about the customer service too. I've had both T-Mobile post paid and prepaid service and honestly they were the biggest pain in ___ carrier I ever delt with. I know it's just a personal opinion on my own customer service experience but I hate T-Mobile. Course i do think the overall opinion of T-Mobile is low since they have been losing customers as of lately and honestly I don't have one single friend that has T-Mobile anymore. I use to have quite a number of friends on T-Mobile and EVERY single one of them moved to another carrier for one reason or another.

 

Yeah, here in the DC area, TMO worked well in populated areas, but once you got out of the city coverage was spotty. AT&T is still the only carrier that works well at my parent's house after all these years. I don't think I have any friends on TMO anymore either. Most are on AT&T and Verizon, and a couple on Sprint.

 

My personal opinion is just the opposite. I started with T-Mobile post pay in 2002 and later pre-pay and their customer service was superb. I had a $25/90 day pre pay and for the $8/month customer that I was they treated me as one of their most valuable customers.

Since I live in a somewhat rural area, the coverage is spotty but so is Verizon and Sprint's. The nearest big city 25 miles north has very good coverage however.

My utopia would be at&t's coverage and T-Mobile's customer service

 

Between AT&T and Verizon, they subscribe about 70% of the US population. So with customer bases so large it's no surprise it is not often to see someone using T-Mobile or Sprint. But at least in my area, it is actually more common to see Metro PCS users than Sprint users. That's how unpopular Sprint is here. I know a lot of T-Mobile users that are very satisfied with their service, but as with every carrier, there's always a small bunch that has had bad experiences. Still that doesn't mean T-Mobile has bad customer service. In fact, their CS is recognized as one of the best in the industry and more than one source says that. Numerous surveys always put T-Mobile and Verizon on the top of customer satisfaction with customer service. But that doesn't mean there's always a small bunch that is not satisfied. Every carrier has that. No carrier is perfect, but some are better than others.

 

Here locally won't due much for coverage since both companies only have infrastructure in the cities. If Viaero wasn't here ATT and Tmobile would only have coverage in less than 1/4 of nebraska.

 

I went from Verizon to TMO due to the significant cost savings. I stayed for a year on a no contract "Even More+" plan, but the service was so bad I had to leave. I have been with AT&T for 4 months and the service is solid. I guess you get what you pay for and I am willing to pay more for the better service.

 

Hey All...I just heard on the news last night that it said all T-Mobile customers will have to get new AT&T 4G phones! Unless AT&T is going to be re-vamping their entire line into 4G LTE phones, that doesn't make any sense why my phone wouldn't work cause they would still have some 3G phones in their line up. Unless it's because AT&T is mostly 850-GSM & T-Mobile is 1900-GSM. Normally that would work, but heard something that they plan to turn the 1900-PCS band from T-Mobile into mostly LTE? If you see any news stories about it or hear anything more, let me know!

 

Looked into AT&T's 700 MHz spectrum holdings this afternoon. It looks like with their initial 700 MHz spectrum they bought in the auction awhile back + the Aloha Partners 700 MHz spectrum + the Qualcomm 700 MHz Lower D & E Blocks + the T-Mobile spectrum (if the deal passes) = A TON of spectrum for 4G nationwide.

 

Since T-Mobile uses its "so-called" 4G on 1700mhz solely, AT&T would like to shift T-Mo customers off it and use it for other purposes than the way T-Mo has utilized it. All of this is AT&T speculation. Since AT&T's really in this for the spectrum grab, it makes sense.

From Phonescoop: AT&T Outlines Plans for T-Mobile AWS Spectrum (Phone Scoop)

 

Mike, that article says "The company plans to phase out WCDMA in the AWS 1700 MHz band, moving T-Mobile customers to new multi-mode phones with WCDMA 850/1900"

I don't get that. Aren't all TMobile phones 850/1900 both already....for when they did have roaming years ago (and still for some small roaming cariers?)? Like all Sprint phones are 850/1900 for roaming purposes, so why would they move people to "new" 850/1900 phones?

Then when they launch LTE....on both 700 and 1700, will someone be making a 850/1900/700/1700 phone?? :dunno: My head hurts!!!!

 

3G/4G T-Mobile phones have UMTS on 1700, and since this requirement means a separate version of a phone than what is used on AT&T, those very phone won't have UMTS on 850/1900 that would allow 3G/4G to work on AT&T. T-Mobile phones would have access to 2G/EDGE 850/1900 on AT&T, but that's it. This is what AT&T is talking about.

Unless they start making phones that have UMTS on 850/1900/1700 (and whatever else), this will ease the transition. UMTS 1700 is one of the reasons T-Mobile's phone lineup has lagged behind AT&T. Manufacturers have to make a version specifically compatible with T-Mobiles UMTS network. Apparently not all of them want to or do (for that matter).

EDIT: After checking out T-Mobile phones on Phonescoop, some phones have UMTS 850, but not UMTS 1900. There seems to be no uniform set of UMTS frequencies on their phones outside of 1700/2100. IF this nightmare merger goes through, a majority (if not all) of T-Mobile phones will have to be replaced. It won't happen all at once, but expect AT&T to take care of the technicalities quickly and start the migration. Hopefully this merger will die a horrible death and all this concern will be for naught.