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

I would not put it passed some of these manufacturers already having the capability to do an update to make the phones capable on working right on the AT&T network. At least lets hope so for the users sake so they don't have to spend more money unless at&t gives them some nice incentive to exchange the phones and stay at their current contractual plans.

 

Great point. What better way to force acquired T-Mobile customers off their great plan and into a higher-priced AT&T one, and keep them locked in. The devil truly is in the details... :devil:

 

You would like to think AT&T would have the courtesy to offer the T-Mobile customers some incentives with new phones.

 

Nothing wrong in hoping. LOL

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True, but let's not hold our breath.

 

Agreed! Thank you for straightening out my head.

 

AT&T's transition won't occur fast enough to have a big impact on T-Mobile customer's phones. They'll wait until only the stragglers are left using 1700 UMTS. Meanwhile, simply AT&T's announcement of the acquisition and the move off of 1700 UMTS will KILL the already weak production of 1700 UMTS phones.

I don't think this acquisition is entirely about spectrum as AT&T tries to play it. This eliminates their only major GSM competitor meaning an ETF is not the only deterrent to leaving AT&T--now you'll be guaranteed to need a new phone even if you don't need data. It also gives AT&T incredible buying power for GSM/UMTS handsets AND cell equipment. They are also acquiring customers at just over $1000 a piece, which is very favorable considering the value of the spectrum and assets, and is less than half what VZW paid for Alltel customers (~$28 billion for 13.2 million customers).

If major divestitures are required, they've still succeeded in eliminating their in-market competitor, bringing them all of the above benefits. Even if the deal fails, I think this still kills T-Mobile due to customer exodus over the new few months and handset availability issues, guaranteeing that DT will sell whether its to Sprint or pieceparts to a bunch of carriers.

 

I can't remember where I found this link, but it has some nice maps:
AT&T/T-Mobile: Spectrum and coverage maps - FierceMobileContent

 

If this deal doesn't materialize, I would think Sprint will fail before T-Mobile does as I think T-Mobile is in a healthier position financially and with its marketing positioning. It might be Sprint selling itself to a cable company or performing a "merger of equals" with T-mobile (remember that's what Sprint said when they merged with Nextel). In this case, you'd see something like DT having a significant ownership in Sprint/T-Mobile, like Vodafone has with Verizon Wireless, but there might be a dispute over which brand stays. Although I rather see T-Mobile stay on its own before seeing it merge with Sprint. That could be another mess like the Nextel merger.

 

And, on a lighter note...

Twitter / Bob Stephenson: Quote of the day: So AT&T ...

 

I was considering upgrading my phone in June or August...not only to get a new handset, but to lock in a 2-year rate plan to be grandfathered over from T-Mobile to AT&T.

But if the phone I buy is or might be incompatible with AT&T within a few months, even if they cut a deal I would probably still have to pay some sort of co-pay for a new AT&T phone...correct?!? So maybe it's better for me to continue using my BB Bold-9700, keeping my old $49 Loyalty Plan for voice, $24.95 unlimited plan for text and web...then just wait a year or so till the merger is over to know what I have to do? :help:

No big deal or worries, just curious! :headscrat

 

OH...loved the quote Dmapr! :lmao:

 

It would be cheaper for AT&T if they wait 2 years from the effective date of the merger to cut-off UMTS on 1700 AWS. That way the could have everyone off-contract anyways before requiring handset upgrades. If they stop selling 1700 AWS phones soon after the merger, then they could start cutting every market down to a single 5+5 MHz chunk as usage dwindles. I find it hard to believe that AT&T is really in such a spectrum bind that they would need to build out on 1700 in less than 2 years. Haven't they been complaining the last 2-3 years about not being able to buy enough hardware to use the spectrum they already have?

 

I just hope it stays a joke and doesn't turn out to be a premonition

 

Hey Dan...sorry to hear your experience with T-Mobile was such a bad & negative one for you and your friends. For me it was the complete opposite, which is why I left Verizon after 8-years and switched to T-Mobile. Mostly it was due to the cost. Verizon on a BlackBerry plan is about $25 more a month for me.

The other was some bad customer service experiences I had with Verizon. I either dealt with employees who didn't know what they were talking about...and I don't know that much, but I knew more than some of the reps I had to deal with. Or the other issue is if I went into the store and showed them my phone was having obvious software issues, this arrogant manager basically told me that since he didn't have a memo from "Verizon Central" the problem didn't exist. Also if I was researching phones, I would come in once/twice a week, but would get these looks like "oh no, not him again". Never with T-Mobile. If they didn't know an answer to my question, they found someone who did. I even wrote a letter to the manager of my favorite store giving "kudos" to the reps who helped me.

Never really had coverage issues, but I do live in the SF/East Bay area, so coverage here was good. I have to admit recent customer service experience with Verizon has been very good and most of my family & friends are now on it, so I'm considering the switch.

 

The funny thing about individual customer service experiences is how opposite of the spectrum they can be. I've never run into any issues like what you've described with Verizon, Chris. My experience with them has been like yours with T-Mobile. I've NEVER gotten a rep who didn't know what they were doing. I'm amazed what great customers service I've received. Yet I know many people who've had awful experiences with Verizon. Guess I've been one of the lucky ones.

For me, AT&T had the worst service, both store and on the phone. Never had any issues with T-Mobile, as my experiences with them match yours, Chris. Even with Nextel, I didn't have any problems, though I didn't have them long enough to experience what life with them could be like after a few years.

Then again, customer experiences with just about anything range from one end of the spectrum to the other. There will be those who are very happy, those who are in the middle, and those who experience the worst possible service...

 

Thanks Mike and you're right, it is and can be a very personal experience. Due to the area one lives in regards to coverage issues, I can see how ones experience and perception can vary.

As I said, my recent visits to Verizon have been fantastic and the same from feedback I have received back from family members and friends. The store in downtown SF near my office has done a 360 in my opinion...plus new managers and employees. Of course it's been 4 years I've been with T-Mobile.

My options are I could get a new phone and contract now with T-Mobile so I'll be under contract when the switch takes place. Was advised if I was out of contract, I would be at AT&T's mercy and not get any offers from them...or do you think they would not be that generous to the T-Mobile customers? Or let my contract run out in October and switch back to Verizon. The 3rd is I have been getting offers from this MNVO through Sprint and they're offering 1 year discount, discounts on phones, and contract buyout's up to $200. But if I do that then I may miss out on a "deal" with AT&T...or am I dreaming if they would offer much.

Anyone else been through a cell phone company transition and what did they offer? Sorry, I know I'm putting the cart before the horse, for it's not a totally done deal yet...just mulling it all over.

Thanks again'.

 

I went through Ameritech merging into Verizon back in the 90's....don't remember much changing, except service was bad. I also was with Cingular when they acquired at&t wireless. I actually got some better coverage, because we were able to open roam on one another. Chris, if you like your service, you could do another contract now to lock in for 2 more years. You will get a good price, and even if the deal doesn't go through there is a roaming agreement requirement and spectrum requirement to be handed over.

 

Thanks Shizam! Was the AT&T Wireless to Cingular merger when they went from TDMA to GSM? If so, did they offer you a deal on a new phone?

I was advised if I continue to use my T-Mobile phone on AT&T that it would go from a 3G phone to 2G, so then not sure if all the data & web stuff with BlackBerry would continue to work well.

Guess I'll cross that bridge when it's put before me!

 

I would also recommend renewing your contract with T-Mobile for now. at&t will use the 1700 WCDMA for LTE but that is not going to happen overnight.

I was also with Cingular when Cingular bought ATTWS for $41 billion or so in 2004 ( it was a buy out and not a merger, just as the T-Mobile deal is a buy out), nothing much changed then. Both providers had GSM, with ATTWS on 1900 and Cingular on 850, at least in my area.

Neither Shizam or I or any other Cingular customer then would be offered a deal since nothing changed for us just as nothing will this time either.

The ATTWS customers, aka "Blue" did get incentives to switch but many remained on it, dmapr and Blue4Life come to mind. I think Cingular is finally getting them all converted this May.

The T-Mobile scenario is different since at&t has plans to discontinue 1700 for WCDMA that T-Mobile uses and so the customers will have to get new phones (if they want 3G) sooner. Your BB would work fine for data and everything except you would not have 3g eventually.

Hope I didn't make it more confusing for you.

 

No Charlyee, you didn't make it confusing for me...you helped to clear it all up. Thanks! :highclap::smilebig:

 

I would imagine that T-Mobile phones have WCDMA 1900 in addition to 1700. Why wouldn't they? I mean T-Mobile had 3G roaming agreements with AT&T in some places didn't they? And if so, that would not be problem if WCDMA is removed from 1700Mhz

 

Some phones might but most of the T-Mobile 3G ones do not have WCDMA 1900.

Here is the BB 9700

 

ok thanks for the info Charlyee

 

lol. No!!! Not in Texas!!! I can't ever get a data connection when I go to Dallas and there are always tons of network issues in Texas on the at&t forums. Although, the person in the group with TracFone service on at&t's network never has any issues. I've always found that odd - does that mean at&t oversold their network in terms of their own customers in order to sell service to the MVNOs?

 

I've checked a lot of T-Mobile phones (looking for ones I could unlock to play with on both networks) and they're scarce. I suspect there are a few that may have a disabled chipset, but many just didn't include hardware support both for cost reasons, and also I suspect to prevent defections. T-Mobile's ETF was lower, but if you left with a 3G phone, it wasn't a 3G phone on any other carrier.

 

Haha I said Florida & Texas as AT&T owns both Cellular bands in Dallas & Eastern Fla,
plus some 1900 & 700 spectrum, now they wanna add T-Mobile's spectrum on top of that? LOL :lmao:

 

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I believe that Nokia is currently the only handset manufacturer that has phones (E7 & N8) that support both AT&T Mobility/Cingular's and T-Mobile's 3G network..

 

lol. If I'm going to be down to having only one nationwide GSM carrier option, I just don't want them to have to get rid of stuff that could resolve my having to resort to SMS to e-mail every time I go to Dallas. Or stuff that would allow my 3G phone to behave as a 3G phone, rather than it's data being slower than my 2G phone.

 

I believe you're right, but IIRC they also have one or two C-series phones with penta-band 3G.