AT&T to buy T-Mobile WTF??

[enkei2k]

AT&T to Buy T-Mobile USA for $39 Billion - NYTimes.com (http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/att-to-buy-t-mobile-usa-for-39-billion/?smid=fb-nytimes&WT.mc_id=DB-SM-E-FB-SM-LIN-ATB-032011-NYT-NA&WT.mc_ev=click)

this is going to get interesting...wonder how this will turn out...

thoughts?

[Lil_D]

sweet i can get the side kick

[drift freaq]

I left SBC (ATT) Cingular for T Mobile 9 years ago. Horrid customer service at ATT terrible pricing.
Now this. I may be headed for Verizon after all. Which is still more expensive as well! Shit guess my Mobile bills are going up not down. This really kinda sucks.

[s14tan]

I was going to switch to Tmobile cause ATT's iPhone plan rapes me every month but I guess not now..

[SimpleS14]

If this gets approved, I'm guessing we'll see Sprint merge with Verizon Wireless?

[drift freaq]

Oh wait in further reading Deutsche Telecom T mobiles parent company will hold an Equity stake in ATT which means they can start telling ATT how to run the show! This could be good.
If they retain T Mobile's aggressive pricing plans and customer service with the larger foot print it could be good.

As long as I keep my unlimited minutes pricing and data plan pricing I will be a happy camper.

[BustedS13]

just came here to post this, lulz.

i'm happy with Virgin. 25/mo brah.

[[email protected]]

finally, better service/network on t-mobile!

[drift freaq]

I still might consider going to Verizon. I am really not a fan of ATT.

Oh and screw Virgin mobile they are just a re market Sprint. LOL

Oh and I have unlimited data for $25 a month which is the same deal Virgin offers. LULZ

[enkei2k]

I have verizon so I don't really care, but if this happens and then verizon and sprint merge, we only have 2 major carriers to worry about. at least now there will be less jailbroken IPhones lol.

[lenox_240]

verizon charges alot unless u have a family plan, i got boostberry 60$ a month unlimited everything and they started doing the shrinkage plan, pay 6 months on time they take off 5 dollars of your regular payment so u can have a payment of 35 bucks with unlimited everything thats if u decide to go far with them.

[drift freaq]

I am actually out of contract right now. So the door is wide open for me to go where ever I want.
I have unlimited loyalty for $50 which gives me unlimited minutes and I have the unlimited data plan at $25.

The worst thing that could happen is ATT no longer honors grandfathered plans from T Mobile.

I know going to Verizon would most likely result in higher rates. Of course the exchange would be exceptional call quality.

The downside is until Verizon goes full LTE they are CDMA which is not nearly as world compatible as GSM is.

More countries are GSM than CDMA.

[BustedS13]

I still might consider going to Verizon. I am really not a fan of ATT.

Oh and screw Virgin mobile they are just a re market Sprint. LOL

right, they're sprint's network for 25 dollars a month. it's a killer deal if you're not a cool guy with all the hookups like drift freaq


Oh and I have unlimited data for $25 a month which is the same deal Virgin offers. LULZyour whole plan is 25/mo? are you on a family plan or did you get some super secret employees only deal for cool guys

verizon charges alot unless u have a family plan, i got boostberry 60$ a month unlimited everything and they started doing the shrinkage plan, pay 6 months on time they take off 5 dollars of your regular payment so u can have a payment of 35 bucks with unlimited everything thats if u decide to go far with them.

yeah but how ancient is your phone? you can buy an Optimus V for Virgin for 130 and, you know, play angry birds and stuff.

[drift freaq]

right, they're sprint's network for 25 dollars a month. it's a killer deal if you're not a cool guy with all the hookups like drift freaq

your whole plan is 25/mo? are you on a family plan or did you get some super secret employees only deal for cool guys


LOL T Mobile has had unlimited data for $25 for a long time it started with the G1

My unlimited minute plan is $50 It originally was $100 but then T Mobile did this whole unlimited loyalty thing where they chopped the price in half, It happened like 6 months after they started the whole unlimited minutes thing.

Anyone who was a customer over 3 years could get it. It went on for quite awhile but it was not advertised. It was usually offered by a rep on the phone.

Recently I heard they are no longer offering it. They did have an Unlimited Even more plan for $60 for awhile as well.
Anyways my plan is grandfathered in without contract. I actually just got them to replace my piece of shit Mytouch 3G under warranty with a LG Optimus T running Android 2.2 for free.

Again no contract because it was an alternative warranty replacement. I had already been through 3 Mytouchs in a year and a half. LOL

so ya $75 a month gets me unlimited calls, unlimited data and text.

Oh and ya I did actually get another discount on top of that which knocks off another $5 . LOL don't ask how that one happened it was a little bit of Charlie Sheen wizardry. LOL

[lflkajfj12123]

this is mostly a bad merger

coverage and other shit isn't going to improve as much as they say

less competition in an already shitty wireless market can't be good

expect more price hikes and bullshit fees

[Brian]

I hope they keep that Canadian chick. :P

[lflkajfj12123]

Carly Foulkes.

[drift freaq]

this is mostly a bad merger

coverage and other shit isn't going to improve as much as they say

less competition in an already shitty wireless market can't be good

expect more price hikes and bullshit fees

Ya this is pretty much what I am afraid of. Honestly, you are probably right about this.
I am keeping my fingers crossed but it does probably mean we will pay more.

[Daniel.]

I didn't see this one coming. I thought for sure Sprint was going to buy T-Mobile.

[BustedS13]

LOL T Mobile has had unlimited data for $25 for a long time it started with the G1

My unlimited minute plan is $50 It originally was $100 but then T Mobile did this whole unlimited loyalty thing where they chopped the price in half, It happened like 6 months after they started the whole unlimited minutes thing.

Anyone who was a customer over 3 years could get it. It went on for quite awhile but it was not advertised. It was usually offered by a rep on the phone.

Recently I heard they are no longer offering it. They did have an Unlimited Even more plan for $60 for awhile as well.
Anyways my plan is grandfathered in without contract. I actually just got them to replace my piece of shit Mytouch 3G under warranty with a LG Optimus T running Android 2.2 for free.

Again no contract because it was an alternative warranty replacement. I had already been through 3 Mytouchs in a year and a half. LOL

so ya $75 a month gets me unlimited calls, unlimited data and text.

Oh and ya I did actually get another discount on top of that which knocks off another $5 . LOL don't ask how that one happened it was a little bit of Charlie Sheen wizardry. LOL
oh, I thought you meant your whole plan was $25, like mine :)

[HyperTek]

Guess originally At&t was killin the game with the popularity of the Iphone.

I hated At&t, had bad reception at my old house, went back to tmobile and been good. We have Tmobile Hot Spot @ home for our land line.

[chiboy002]

well this sucks

tmobile sucks and so does AT&T in illinois for the most part. Past city-limits you get shit reception

>.>

[lenox_240]

right, they're sprint's network for 25 dollars a month. it's a killer deal if you're not a cool guy with all the hookups like drift freaq

your whole plan is 25/mo? are you on a family plan or did you get some super secret employees only deal for cool guys



yeah but how ancient is your phone? you can buy an Optimus V for Virgin for 130 and, you know, play angry birds and stuff.

my fone is about a year old, and as long as im able to call and txt i could care less about apps thats why i have a ps3 so i could play games.

[ZenkiKid]

My only hope is that this will somehow bring back unlimited data for att smartphone users

[drift freaq]

oh, I thought you meant your whole plan was $25, like mine :)

you only get 300 talking minutes with your unlimited data and text for $25 with Virgin. I went and looked at their plans to see, after you posted that you had unlimited everything for $25 you don't. :D

Though Virgin will give you unlimited data text and minutes for $60 which is still $15 less but again you are on Sprints Network.
I would never go with Sprint or their Network. WiMax is a dead end technology. IMO

[Gnnr]

FUCK...time to jump to Verizon. I hate AT&T and the local telecom they took over here, have been boycotting them since 2004.

[4DOOR_LIFE]

you guys gotta get on that Ghettro pcs like me ! !

I've been contemplating on switching to T mobile for the longest time though.

[lflkajfj12123]

I would switch to verizon hands down if it wasn't for the fact that the local AT&T rep listed me as an employee for purdue (I'm not... just a student) which now I get 30% off my total bill every month lol

[Krazykouki]

Straight Talk FTW

[JayDee M Rolly]

finally, better service/network on t-mobile!
this is laughable.

at&t's service is horrible, i call everyone else on all other networks fine. but when i call an at&t it either drops or doesnt even go through sometimes.

sad to see this happen, i hope at&t doesnt run down t-mobile to shit, because i've been with them for 6-7 years now with no problems with service or customer support.

[Vatche]

everyone just get verizon, they have everything and are the best.

[Gnnr]

rsCp-1hgfxI

Cobert FTMFW!

[drift freaq]

I would switch to verizon hands down if it wasn't for the fact that the local AT&T rep listed me as an employee for purdue (I'm not... just a student) which now I get 30% off my total bill every month lol

You are a student at Purdue? You just earned some respect. If I can get my Siatica a little more under control I will be on Campus on the 7th. My Father is being honored for his achievements in Semiconductor Physics.

Oh and ya leave it to the U.S. Government to break up the original ATT (the best land line phone company in the world) because MCI wanted to compete. They could have just fined them like Microsoft got fined.
Look where is MCI today? Gone, bankrupt, kaput.

LOL Verizon and SBC err the New ATT cobbling back together all the baby bells, into two giants that don't even work as well. LOL

[Phlip]

I didn't see this one coming. I thought for sure Sprint was going to buy T-Mobile.
A Sprint/T-Mobile merger would be like a marriage between partners where one speaks French and the other Italian.
My only hope is that this will somehow bring back unlimited data for att smartphone users
I am hoping for this as well.
I would switch to verizon hands down if it wasn't for the fact that the local AT&T rep listed me as an employee for purdue (I'm not... just a student) which now I get 30% off my total bill every month lol
I worked in that department at AT&T from the time it was established as a department until I left in Feb 2006, you'd get it as a student OR employee.
To anyone reading this, if you are at a university or large company, CALL AND ASK if your company gets discounts.
Citi, Time Warner, American Express and the military get enormous discounts.

Personally, I am not sure HOW I feel about this yet. I would like for my overall cost, or availability/cost of plans to be better than what we have been seeing with AT&T. I fired Sprint in 2000 and REFUSE to go back to them, and Verizon has only become big where I live within the last 5 or so years, when they took over Alltel.
Also, I was working at AT&T Wireless when Cingular bought them, and AT&T Wireless had to divest their portion of a small regional company named Suncom, which eventually sold itself to T-Mobile a couple years ago. It will be interesting to see how this pans out in the end.

[SochBAT]

Everyone here bashed TMobile because their 'crap customer service and crap plans' only because they're all nut-hugging Apple/AT&T. I've got better than good service with Sprint out here, and its the only company right now with stable, city-wide 4G thanks to Clearwire. I'm sitting pretty paying 40 bucks monthly, but I'm wondering what aspects of AT&T/TMobile are going to change. I hope AT&T restructuring. Shits stupid expensive.

[lflkajfj12123]

Lolwut

AT&T has terrible customer service through the phone

I had T-mobile before and they were much better to deal with

A clash of the worst and best service haha

[drift freaq]

Lolwut

AT&T has terrible customer service through the phone

I had T-mobile before and they were much better to deal with

A clash of the worst and best service haha

This is also something I can agree with. Having had both. T Mobile has fantastic customer service and pricing and the Network here is good.

[nurvcom]

woow i just switch from tmobile to sprint thank god i did the move to sprint i hate ATT they way over priced .....

[Lees_Garage]

Everyone should just go with Verizon! Lol. I have been a loyal VZW customer for over 5 yrs now and have zero complaints. They are a bit pricey, but worth the extra money.

[1 88 U]

Everyone should just go with Verizon! Lol. I have been a loyal VZW customer for over 5 yrs now and have zero complaints. They are a bit pricey, but worth the extra money.

I plan to switch as soon as that make an iPhone with simultaneous voice and data.

[enkei2k]

The Rise and Fall of Telephone Competition: 1982-2011 - PCWorld (http://www.pcworld.com/article/222636/Telephone_Competition_in_the_US_1982_2011.html#tk. rss_news)

found this article to be interesting...pretty much the history of AT&T and the competitors. interesting to see that we've come almost full circle lol

[tr4c3]

Had att for a year back in the day. Sucked. Have had verizon for 4+ years now and don't plan to change. If I ever left verizon I'd go to sprint. Not a fan of iphones so bleh.

[dirtdiggler666]

this is how i feel

1. verizon best overall but the most $$

2. tmobile best bang for the buck and great service, but lacking cool phones

3. at&t overpriced, only cool at all because of iphone and shitty service

4. sprint lol are they analog

[nismo 240sx]

att bought out tmoblie for there 3g towers so they can run lte on it. the full merge wont be till 12 months from now. this can be good just because they might not be the strongest in reception they can be a really good one. verizon is great but just imagine how many ppl have it and how much clutter there reception is now with the iphone? so att and tmoblie would be twice the service and twice as fast.

[Grenade180sx]

the shitty service, just got shiiter.

[BustedS13]

this is how i feel

1. verizon best overall but the most $$

2. tmobile best bang for the buck and great service, but lacking cool phones

3. at&t overpriced, only cool at all because of iphone and shitty service

4. sprint lol are they analog

lolwut, sprint's a beast

[Gnnr]

Sprint has the fastest network I've ever seen. I used to have them. Only reason I switched was because their phone selections aren't great.

[dirtdiggler666]

just as always this is JUST how i feel

i have many friends with sprint in different locations, and i swear to god i don't think i have ever made it thru a call without it being dropped. its to the point where i tell them just to text me.

could it be like a sr with a gt3076r with a safc, ya it makes killer power but for how long?

just a thought i am not pro cell phone guy

[axiomatik]

I've never had problems with AT&T. Every once in a while I'll get a dropped or incomplete call, but it's only maybe once a week, not often enough to bother me. I spend $85/month (including fees/taxes) for a family plan between my wife and I, including unlimited data on my phone. Seems pretty reasonable to me considering the prices some people are quoting in here. As for customer service, I don't know. I've only used customer service once since 2005 or so, and had no issues.

[boobs13]

If this gets approved, I'm guessing we'll see Sprint merge with Verizon Wireless?


yup Can't wait for that haha...

[g00se]

verizon might still buy sprint, cdma to cdma. Same reason why this would be easier for att to assimilate tmobile = gsm.. assuming the feds let it through all that anti trust/monopoly blather.

[fckillerbee]

I worked for att for a couple years. when it was cingular to att....this is actually really bad news.

all att members..be prepared for rate plan changes (increase) and random fees and even worse customer service.

Gov. made att sell all their shit to t-mobile cause they were getting too big...now this? Someone is getting some major money to look the other way. And Verizon will become no more. Att will lower rates to take all the customers...and then jack it up cause you can't go anywhere else...except for shitty service. Major fucking monoply happening right now.

[towlie]

I worked for att for a couple years. when it was cingular to att....this is actually really bad news.

all att members..be prepared for rate plan changes (increase) and random fees and even worse customer service.

Gov. made att sell all their shit to t-mobile cause they were getting too big...now this? Someone is getting some major money to look the other way. And Verizon will become no more. Att will lower rates to take all the customers...and then jack it up cause you can't go anywhere else...except for shitty service. Major fucking monoply happening right now.

Capitalism at it's finest

[JayDee M Rolly]

I worked for att for a couple years. when it was cingular to att....this is actually really bad news.

all att members..be prepared for rate plan changes (increase) and random fees and even worse customer service.

Gov. made att sell all their shit to t-mobile cause they were getting too big...now this? Someone is getting some major money to look the other way. And Verizon will become no more. Att will lower rates to take all the customers...and then jack it up cause you can't go anywhere else...except for shitty service. Major fucking monoply happening right now.
well the merger wont happen for another year i believe, so people that hate at&t/not-iphone nuthuggers go sign up for a t-mobile contract while you can so atleast you can get grandfathered into a contract that'll probably be cheaper than at&t for atleast 2 years.

[s14canyoncity]

everyone just get verizon, they have everything and are the best.

still cant view Zilvia while you talk ....

[SimpleS14]

still cant view Zilvia while you talk ....

LTE and SVDO will take care of that.

[ReaperBJJ]

My fiancee works for Sprint, so I'll get a little discount for that and Sprints going to give me a 21% discount for my work compared to the 15% AT&T give me now. So fuck you AT&T I've dealed with your BS, terrible customer service and random charges for 4 years, time for a change and a 4G phone :D

[Tantwoforty]

im on t mobile right now on a vibrant, and its not bad... the phone is very nice..
it will be interesting to see what policys each company keeps and changes.

regardless its still a safe bet to say just switch to VZW.

[Phlip]

Relevant bump...

This is getting interesting now

US seeks to block AT&T, T-Mobile deal - Business - US business - msnbc.com (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44341803/ns/business-us_business/)

[SimpleS14]

Yes, a very worthy bump indeed.

Plain and simple, just dont approve the merger.

[simmode1]

This is good news for us T-mobile guys.

[Future240]

This is good news for us T-mobile guys.

Ummmmmm......

A failure of the deal puts T-Mobile in a difficult position. It's struggling to compete with the larger carriers, and owner Deutsche Telekom AG has said it's not willing to invest more in the venture.

[Gnnr]

Fuck, us T-Mobile guys are screwed either way.

[tricky_ab]

I'm not surprised. It looked questionable enough to begin with, and AT&T hasn't been doing themselves any favors by eliminating some of their own plans in the meantime to force up costs.

Anyways AT&T have issued a response...

AT&T issues a response: http://techcrunch.com/2011/08/31/att...vail-in-court/


We are surprised and disappointed by today’s action, particularly since we have met repeatedly with the Department of Justice and there was no indication from the DOJ that this action was being contemplated.

We plan to ask for an expedited hearing so the enormous benefits of this merger can be fully reviewed. The DOJ has the burden of proving alleged anti-competitive affects and we intend to vigorously contest this matter in court.

At the end of the day, we believe facts will guide any final decision and the facts are clear. This merger will:

Help solve our nation’s spectrum exhaust situation and improve wireless service for millions.
Allow AT&T to expand 4G LTE mobile broadband to another 55 million Americans, or 97% of the population.
Result in billions of additional investment and tens of thousands of jobs, at a time when our nation needs them most.

We remain confident that this merger is in the best interest of consumers and our country, and the facts will prevail in court.


All those bullet point arguments are wrong:

1. There is no spectrum exhaust. AT&T is sitting on a bunch of unused spectrum and rather spending $39 billion on improving its network, it uses that money to buy out a competitor: http://www.networkworld.com/news/201...e-hearing.html (http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/051111-att-senate-hearing.html)

http://www.dslprime.com/a-wireless-c...apacity-unused (http://www.dslprime.com/a-wireless-cloud/61-w/4193-70-90-of-atat-spectrum-capacity-unused)

2. A leaked FCC document shows that AT&T needs $3 billion to make LTE happen without T-Mobile to reach 97% data coverage. Leaked FCC document destroys AT&T's consumer-pro stance on T-mobile merger - NeoGAF (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=440737)

3. The only jobs AT&T is adding are call center ones, which can be easily added by firing T-Mobile workers. http://news.yahoo.com/t-vows-bring-b...43140153.html? (http://news.yahoo.com/t-vows-bring-back-5-000-u-jobs-043140153.html?)

The merger has nothing to do with the consumer.

[omgRWDgoodness!]

you guys gotta get on that Ghettro pcs like me ! !

Dam daw, I can't be havin' da contract and all dat stuff cuz I ain't know if I gon' be able to pay mah bill erry munt! Shiiiiiit.

[Gizmo_S13]

I have AT&T, I always have service.

[drift freaq]

I have AT&T, I always have service.

Then why are commenting? I had AT&T cough cough err (Reality time its SBC!! They bought AT&T and co opted the name). LOL Oh and that is a fact and you can look it up.

Anyways I had that shit ass company here in LA terrible billing practices, terrible customer service. Outsourced damned near everything. Never again. I have been with T Mobile for years and it works.

With all that has been said whoever thinks this puts T Mobile in a bad has not really studied the facts.
First off, T Mobile has lost customers but still turned a profit, no matter if it was small.

Second off, It is highly unlikely the acquisition of T Mobile by AT&T is going to happen now.

The Justice Department has now officially said any merger of the top 4 carriers is out of the question.

Third off, The FCC has never ruled against a DOJ anti monopoly filing which is what this is.

This deal is dead in the water.

Which puts T Mobile in actually a very good position. AT&T now has to pay $3 billion and give up $3 billion worth of AWS spectrum. The spectrum that T Mobile already uses and gaining more of it allows the company to develop their LTE plans finally.

Will DT decided to sell them off? Sure. Are the major companies who have expressed interest in buying T Mobile who do no conflict with the DOJ edict? Yes including Rogers, TelCel plus a few others.

I am happy about this. I did want to have my cell service co opted by the Deathstar.

[KiLLeR2001]

I think it all depends on where you live as far as call quality/reception goes. T-Mobile is by far the worst in my area. AT&T and Verizon dominate here. I've had AT&T since around 2002, never had any problems (other than price being a little on the high side).

[dam262a]

lol.. so iphone is going to be only an at&t phone again ...apple failed there

[Phlip]

lol.. so iphone is going to be only an at&t phone again ...apple failed there
What have you seen in this thread suggests that Verizon will no longer carry it?
Maybe I missed it

[dam262a]

What have you seen in this thread suggests that Verizon will no longer carry it?
Maybe I missed it

oops i forget it was verizon, sorry i was confused with my friends iphone running on t-mobile