The No. 2 and No. 4 wireless carriers announce a $39 billion merger deal that would create a company with nearly 130 million subscribers, easily leapfrogging Verizon Wireless for the No. 1 spot.
The No. 2 and No. 4 wireless carriers announce a $39 billion merger deal that would create a company with nearly 130 million subscribers, easily leapfrogging Verizon Wireless for the No. 1 spot.
Carrier accuses federal regulators of "cherry-picking" some facts, and ignoring others, to push its view that the merger with T-Mobile USA would be bad for the nation.
(Posted in Wireless by Roger Cheng)
December 1, 2011 10:22 AM PDT
The Wall Street Journal reports that AT&T is talking to Deutsche Telekom about forming a joint venture in case AT&T's $39 billion bid to buy T-Mobile is rejected by regulators.
So what's T-Mobile's backup plan?
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)
November 30, 2011 2:42 PM PST
Regulators say the proposed $39 billion wireless megamerger would lead to huge job losses and less competition. AT&T calls the decision to release the report "troubling."
(Posted in Mobile by Steven Musil)
November 29, 2011 11:10 PM PST
The carrier hopes to ease regulatory objections to its T-Mobile acquisition by selling assets to a second-tier wireless operator, the New York Times says.
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)
November 29, 2011 1:12 AM PST
A lot has happened regarding AT&T's $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile. This CNET FAQ will get you up to speed on what happened--and what it all means.
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)
November 28, 2011 3:29 PM PST
AT&T could offer to divest as much of 40% of T-Mobile in order to win approval for its beleaguered acquisition, Bloomberg reports.
(Posted in Mobile by David Hamilton)
November 25, 2011 2:59 PM PST
AT&T says it will take fourth-quarter charge to cover possible breakup fee, and withdraws application to FCC. But the pending deal's not dead just yet.
(Posted in Signal Strength by Edward Moyer)
November 24, 2011 9:16 AM PST
AT&T's $39 billion deal to buy T-Mobile looks like it's dead. So how long will AT&T hang on?
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)
November 22, 2011 5:25 PM PST
Seven state attorneys general have joined the U.S. Department of Justice in its opposition to AT&T's efforts to acquire T-Mobile USA.
(Posted in Wireless by Roger Cheng)
September 16, 2011 1:00 PM PDT
Seven state attorneys general have joined the U.S. Department of Justice in its opposition to AT&T's efforts to acquire T-Mobile USA.
(Posted in Wireless by Roger Cheng)
September 16, 2011 1:00 PM PDT
Opposition is building against the acquisition deal that Sprint and other critics say would create a wireless "duopoly" and spell bad news for consumers.
(Posted in Wireless by Eric Mack)
September 6, 2011 10:12 AM PDT
The German telecommunications giant says it would get a breakup fee if AT&T's planned acquisition of T-Mobile USA falls through.
T-Mobile may miss out on AT&T break-up fee, report says
(Posted in Wireless by Roger Cheng)
September 6, 2011 7:49 AM PDT
AT&T is expected to offer some proposals to move forward with its acquisition of T-Mobile in the wake of the DOJ's attempt to block the deal.
(Posted in Wireless by Lance Whitney)
September 2, 2011 5:59 AM PDT
The Department of Justice wants T-Mobile USA to remain a "maverick" competitor, but can the No. 4 player stand on its own two feet without a 4G strategy?
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)
September 1, 2011 4:00 AM PDT
In its lawsuit, the federal government says the deal would hurt competition and reduce innovation in the wireless industry.
• Why the DOJ means business on AT&T and T-Mobile
• PDF: DOJ's lawsuit
Text of DOJ statement
• ZDNet: Fallout from DOJ suit
(Posted in Wireless by Don Reisinger)
August 31, 2011 7:53 AM PDT
The company says workers will be needed to fill call center jobs if the deal is approved. And then the Justice Department steps in to try to block the deal.
(Posted in Wireless by Don Reisinger)
August 31, 2011 7:33 AM PDT
Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee is getting behind AT&T for its deal to acquire T-Mobile USA.
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)
August 3, 2011 4:23 PM PDT
A number of state governments have voiced an opinion on the proposed merger between T-Mobile and AT&T. Most are in favor, but a few are expressing concern.
AT&T/T-Mobile merger finds more support in the states
(Posted in Dialed In by Kent German)
August 2, 2011 5:44 PM PDT
Though critics charge that a merger between AT&T and T-Mobile will lead to higher prices and reduce customer choice, there are bigger, and less tangible, issues at stake.
(Posted in Dialed In by Kent German)
July 28, 2011 2:18 PM PDT
AT&T has filed additional data with the FCC to support its claims that its proposed $39 billion takeover of T-Mobile will benefit consumers.
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)
July 26, 2011 8:09 AM PDT
Sen. Herb Kohl, the head of the Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee, wants regulators to block AT&T's $39 billion bid to buy T-Mobile USA.
AT&T customers try to block merger with T-Mobile
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)
July 20, 2011 11:29 AM PDT
As it continues to fight against the proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile, attorneys general in nine states have subpoenaed the carrier in conjunction with antitrust reviews.
(Posted in Dialed In by Kent German)
July 12, 2011 12:43 PM PDT
T-Mobile responded Tuesday to filings and comments made by opponents of the $39 billion deal to merge with AT&T.
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)
June 21, 2011 3:39 PM PDT
In a letter to the FCC, the New York State Public Service Commission says that New York consumers will be significantly and disproportionally affected by the merger.
Sprint counters AT&T's spectrum claims
(Posted in Dialed In by Kent German)
June 20, 2011 2:29 PM PDT
T-Mobile may be prepping for an AT&T buyout, but the carrier remains just as active as ever in releasing new smartphones, tablets, and services until the FCC makes its call.
(Posted in Dialed In by Jessica Dolcourt)
June 16, 2011 11:27 AM PDT
AT&T is getting support from all corners for its bid for T-Mobile, even from groups like GLAAD, the NAACP, and the Sierra Club.
(Posted in Dialed In by Kent German)
June 15, 2011 12:08 PM PDT
commentary Sprint has done a better job than any other provider of firmly anchoring itself as a low-cost option. It's also done a better job of improving customer service.
(Posted in (Posted in Wireless by Roger Entner)
June 6, 2011 5:39 AM PDT
The carrier says that major groups including the AFL-CIO and NAACP, along with 15 state governors, are giving a thumbs-up to its proposed takeover of T-Mobile USA.
(Posted in The Digital Home by Don Reisinger)
June 3, 2011 8:16 AM PDT
In an official filing before the Federal Communications Commission, Sprint claims that the proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile has "no public interest."
(Posted in Dialed In by Kent German)
May 31, 2011 2:08 PM PDT
The phone giant's CEO defends the proposed acquisition to lawmakers, who question the company about market concentration and potential job losses.
(Posted in Wireless by Jay Greene)
May 26, 2011 9:54 AM PDT
Sprint recently asked Congress to block the AT&T-T-Mobile merger because of its impact on competition for cellular backhaul. But the merger has nothing to do with backhaul--only on Sprint's bottom line.
(Posted in Wireless by Larry Downes)
May 25, 2011 4:00 AM PDT
If the acquisition collapses, the carrier would be forced to fork over cash, services, and assets worth $6 billion to T-Mobile USA parent Deutsche Telekom, according to Reuters.
(Posted in The Digital Home by Don Reisinger)
May 13, 2011 7:03 AM PDT
AT&T didn't find many allies at U.S. Senate hearing, where politicians claimed the proposed $39 billion deal would lead to less competition and create a mobile "duopoly."
(Posted in Wireless by Declan McCullagh)
May 11, 2011 10:34 AM PDT
Without T-Mobile's spectrum, AT&T says its customers will experience more dropped calls and slower data connections, but AT&T already has more spectrum than any other carrier. How much is enough?
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)
April 29, 2011 4:00 AM PDT
AT&T filed official paperwork with the Federal Communications Commission that announces its intention to acquire T-Mobile and its spectrum licenses.
• Video: What consumers think about AT&T and T-Mobile merging
(Posted in Dialed In by Kent German)
April 21, 2011 4:24 PM PT
The agency is ready to formally look into how the proposed $39 billion merger might affect competition, while the Justice Department considers antitrust issues.
T-Mobile undercuts rivals on 'unlimited' plan
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)
April 14, 2011 10:53 AM PDT
In this week's column Maggie answers another question about the AT&T and T-Mobile deal. Also: Why Samsung is slow in sending Android updates, and advice to a Boost Mobile customer.
Ask Maggie: Will AT&T ax T-Mobile phones?
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)
April 8, 2011 4:00 AM PDT
The state's attorney general plans to analyze the proposed merger to ensure that it doesn't harm New York wireless consumers.
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)
March 29, 2011 11:12 a.m. PT
Sprint, the No. 3 wireless provider in the U.S., says the merger would undo nearly three decades of work by the U.S. government to modernize the telecom sector and open markets to competition.
(Posted in Dialed In by Bonnie Cha)
March 28, 2011 1:30 p.m. PT
AT&T and T-Mobile's merger would put the nation's fifth largest carrier in the No. 4 position. We asked MetroPCS what that might mean for it, and what its plans are.
(Posted in CTIA 2011 by Jessica Dolcourt)
March 25, 2011 8:39 a.m. PT
This week CNET mobile maven Maggie Reardon offers her perspective on whether disgruntled T-Mobile customers will be able to cancel their contracts if the feds OK the acquisition.
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)
March 25, 2011 4:00 a.m. PT
faq In a nutshell, consumers will have fewer choices when it comes to wireless service. But current AT&T and T-Mobile customers may experience improved service quality.
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)
March 23, 2011 4:00 a.m. PT
Chief executives of AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and Sprint are forced to discuss the elephant in the room: AT&T's proposed acquisition of T-Mobile USA.
Audi signs T-Mobile, gets AT&T
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)
March 22, 2011 8:17 a.m. PT
Sprint Nextel may find it difficult to compete on its own if the deal between AT&T and T-Mobile is eventually approved by regulators.
Sprint: Google Voice deal 'extremely important'
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)
March 21, 2011 9:56 p.m. PT
Facing regulatory scrutiny, AT&T argues that buying T-Mobile USA will bring next-gen mobile networks to more Americans at a quicker clip and make the United States more competitive.
Study: Verizon fastest among 4G networks
(Posted in Deep Tech by Stephen Shankland)
March 21, 2011 7:52 a.m. PDT
No. 2 AT&T's $39 billion proposed acquisition of No. 4 T-Mobile USA may make sense from a technology perspective, but the companies are likely to face scrutiny from regulators.
(Posted in Signal Strength by Marguerite Reardon)
March 20, 2011 6:02 p.m. PT
analysis AT&T announces it will acquire T-Mobile for $39 billion. Though the carrier is preaching nothing but upsides for T-Mobile customers, I'm not so sure.
• Video: What consumers think about AT&T and T-Mobile merging
(Posted in Dialed In by Kent German)
March 20, 2011 8:09 p.m. PT
analysis Consumer advocates have already condemned the AT&T and T-Mobile USA as "unthinkable." But Larry Downes argues jumping to conclusions doesn't help anyone, especially consumers.
(Posted in Signal Strength by Larry Downes)
March 20, 2011 6:02 p.m. PT
In the wake of the AT&T acquisition news, T-Mobile assures its customers that nothing will change. At least for the next 12 months.
(Posted in Dialed In by Bonnie Cha)
March 20, 2011 2:54 p.m. PT
On the cusp of a historic mobile operator merger between AT&T and T-Mobile, a look at some key stats.
(Posted in Dialed In by Jessica Dolcourt)
March 20, 2011 6:16 p.m. PT
After the AT&T and T-Mobile merger news broke, one of the first concerns many T-Mobile customers had was with pricing plans.
(Posted in Dialed In by Nicole Lee)
March 20, 2011 9:51 p.m. PT
The news that T-Mobile USA is being bought by AT&T might mean the end of the T-Mobile campaign that attacks, um, AT&T.
(Posted in Technically Incorrect by Chris Matyszczyk)
March 20, 2011 1:58 p.m. PT
T-Mobile's 33 million subscribers will give AT&T the dominant position in the mobile market and leave the U.S. with only one GSM carrier.
(Posted in Wireless by Steven Musil)
March 20, 2011 12:03 p.m. PT