AT&T to buy T-Mobile's U.S. Operations!

[labdogs42]

I was hoping this meant that as a T-mobile customer, I'd be able to get the iPhone when my contract is up next time. Not so. I find that very weird. I"ll still have to "switch" to AT&T to get that phone.

 

[Kathi OD]

As someone who has been with TMobile for about 8 years, I'm not happy about this. at. all.

However, I'll wait and see what develops down the road. Maybe it won't be as bad as I'm thinking it will be. If I'm unhappy, I'm not sure what I'll do. Who will be the "new" number 3 player?

 

[JB2K]

If I'm unhappy, I'm not sure what I'll do. Who will be the "new" number 3 player?

As it stands, today, the big U.S. wireless companies are:

1. The combined AT&T/T-Mobile
2. Verizon Wireless
3. Sprint (including Nextel and Virgin Mobile)

Usually, when something like this happens, others will follow suit -- I expect to see some of the smaller companies like Cricket/Metro PCS work-out some mergers of their own.

 

[Kathi OD]

As it stands, today, the big U.S. wireless companies are:

1. The combined AT&T/T-Mobile
2. Verizon Wireless
3. Sprint (including Nextel and Virgin Mobile)

Usually, when something like this happens, others will follow suit -- I expect to see some of the smaller companies like Cricket/Metro PCS work-out some mergers of their own.

UGH! That's what I figured.

 

[JB2K]

I was hoping this meant that as a T-mobile customer, I'd be able to get the iPhone when my contract is up next time. Not so. I find that very weird. I"ll still have to "switch" to AT&T to get that phone.

Not really.

If your contract is set to expire sometime, this year, you would have most definitely have to "switch" to AT&T to get your iPhone, because...

Even though both companies have already announced their intentions to merge, they still have a long process of conditions (by the FTC, FCC, and state regulators) that must first be met. Typcially, these things take around a year to complete (but given how Washington has been generally "un" business-friendly over the last couple of years, I wouldn't be at all surpised if this goes-on well into the middle of 2012).

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

I was hoping this meant that as a T-mobile customer, I'd be able to get the iPhone when my contract is up next time. Not so. I find that very weird. I"ll still have to "switch" to AT&T to get that phone.

You won't be able to get the iphone when your contract is up, unless it is 12 months from now. That is what it said in the article on MSN.

Suzanne

 

[MoniqueU]

Well now I am even more happy that I have sprint. I love the unlimited mobile any time! I hope sprint never gets bought by ATT Or Verizon!

 

[JediMaster]

The deal is still pending Government regulation, after that it will be a year to finalize the closing. after the closing ATT will start a year later to switch T mobile customers on 3G phones to ATT phones,this is to change the T mobile system to the New 4G LTE system. That is why ATT will MAKE T mobile customers switch. But that won't be till 2 years at least, you will be able to use T mobile phones and services.

So live it up now , but the party ends in 2 years!

 

[Jeff_G]

Ugggg I cant stand AT&T had very bad experiances with them years ago...
We use T-Mobile prepaid,pay about $50 every 6 months or so, because we use the phone soo little... I suspect this will go away once AT&T has taken over fully...

 

[crazelion]

Mind you I have had the same plan for 7 years now. We get new phones when eligible & extend our contract. They no longer offer my faves plans.

I don't have a full feature android phone either, I have a nokia nuron, so even though it has internet access it is still limited in what it can do.

If have a nokia nuron you don't have android. You is on the symbian operating system. You can look at full websites. Just go opera browser and down download opera mini .

 

[bicker]

Southern Bell was a wireline phone company which existed as part of the old AT&T monopoly prior to 1984 (and the goverment's breakup of Ma Bell). It was more recently-known as BellSouth, prior to that company's merger with the "new" AT&T in 2007.

Ayup. Folks need to be aware that the names may not have changed, but the companies have.

Ugggg I cant stand AT&T had very bad experiances with them years ago...

Again, that was possibly a different company. This company didn't started calling itself AT&T until 2005.

 

[Debi]

I hope they don't screw things up too bad. We have loved having T-mobile.

That's exactly how I feel.

 

[mnrose]

Ayup. Folks need to be aware that the names may not have changed, but the companies have.


Again, that was possibly a different company. This company didn't started calling itself AT&T until 2005.

Telecom is very confusing, but the current incarnation of AT&T is a result of the merger of SBC (itself a merger of BellSouth, Ameritech and SBC) and AT&T. This deal (SBC and AT&T) closed in late 2005, with the new branding starting early in 2006. The current company is a mix of old AT&T and SBC...with at least some of the senior executives of the old AT&T continuing with the merged company.

So, it is not entirely correct to say that the current AT&T is somehow different from the old AT&T. Changed yes, entirely different, no. The network of the old AT&T is still in use today, and if that was a problem for someone (or the most wonderful thing since sliced bread) it isn't changed by someone else buying it and slapping a new logo on it.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Ayup. Folks need to be aware that the names may not have changed, but the companies have.


Again, that was possibly a different company. This company didn't started calling itself AT&T until 2005.

Well, I know that AT&T were horrible in 2009 and 2010, I haven't dealt with them in 2011 just yet, give me some time. I know we were previously BellSouth and CS was ok, but it is really bad now.

I have had nothing but excellent service from T-mobile, especially when my mom passed away and then when DH lost his job, they did things that I don't believe any other mobile company would do for anyone.

Whether this actually happens or not, I am going to start shopping around, and be prepared if I don't like what comes. I have already started looking at Sprint and like what I see so far.

Suzanne

 

[sherabby]

I had AT&T for my first cell...the sold to Cingular.....sold back to AT&T and I switched to T-Mobile....now we are back again to AT&T. Might switch to Sprint in Sept when my contract is up.

 

[nordkin]

It was before 2005. We switched from tmobile to at&t, the service was aweful. Cancelled the service within the 1st month & had to fight for a year to get our money back on the phones

We are on an old t-mobile "Fave 5" family plan. It works well for us cost wise, about $112.00 per month with 1000 shared minutes, unlimited text & internet. With the "fave 5" we don't use that many minutes because the people we call most often are on our faves list & unlimited.

I looked at family plans the other day online & nothing they offer now even comes close. Verizon would be much more $$ as well.

AT&T has something called the A List that is great for minute free calls to land lines. They also offer free mobile to mobile to any mobile phone, regardless of the carrier, if you pay for family unlimited texting. Unfortunately they no longer offer unlimited data and you pay per phone. We have all of these and we hardly use any minutes.

 

[poohbear2]

How will this affect the prepaid phone side?

 

[bicker]

Telecom is very confusing, but the current incarnation of AT&T is a result of the merger of SBC (itself a merger of BellSouth, Ameritech and SBC) and AT&T.

Calling it a "merger" is off-target, imho. SBC acquired AT&T. I know, because a lot of my friends that I left behind at AT&T ended up losing their jobs after the acquisition.

The current company is a mix of old AT&T and SBC...with at least some of the senior executives of the old AT&T continuing with the merged company.

Very few. AT&T headquarters isn't in New Jersey, where it was when I was working for them. It's in Texas.

So, it is not entirely correct to say that the current AT&T is somehow different from the old AT&T. Changed yes, entirely different, no.

While I respect your right to disagree, but I still meant what I said. From a customer's standpoint, it is as I implied, afaic.

Well, I know that AT&T were horrible in 2009 and 2010

Yup that would be the this AT&T.

Whether this actually happens or not, I am going to start shopping around, and be prepared if I don't like what comes. I have already started looking at Sprint and like what I see so far.

Assuming Sprint still exists in its current form by then...

 

[Anjelica]

Calling it a "merger" is off-target, imho. SBC acquired AT&T. I know, because a lot of my friends that I left behind at AT&T ended up losing their jobs after the acquisition.

Very few. AT&T headquarters isn't in New Jersey, where it was when I was working for them. It's in Texas.

While I respect your right to disagree, but I still meant what I said. From a customer's standpoint, it is as I implied, afaic.


Yup that would be the this AT&T.

Assuming Sprint still exists in its current form by then...

Bicker is 100% correct - AT&T was basically purchased by SBC. Most of the "mergers" were really acquisitions by SBC (i.e. Pacific Bell, Nevada Bell, SNET, Ameritech, AT&T and to an extent BellSouth). It is SBC's old headquarters which is the headquarters of AT&T in Texas. I currently work for AT&T and started out with SBC back in 2000 so I have been around many of these "mergers".

 

[mnrose]

Calling it a "merger" is off-target, imho. SBC acquired AT&T. I know, because a lot of my friends that I left behind at AT&T ended up losing their jobs after the acquisition.

Did I know you in another life? I am former T...left in the merger/acquisition or whatever you want to call it.