Growing support for A.T.&T. - T-Mobile merger

Support for T-Mobile Merger Strong, Growing

Excerpt:

This week, several community, civic, minority and labor organizations urged the Federal Communications Commission to approve AT&T's merger with T-Mobile USA. Strong support came from groups ranging from the AFL-CIO and the CWA, the NAACP and LULAC, and those representing rural interests, the high-tech community and people with disabilities. In addition, the governors of 15 states from across the country also filed in support of the transaction, representing more than 90 million Americans.

These groups and elected officials understand the extraordinary benefits of bringing high-speed wireless broadband to more than 97% of the U.S. population, or an additional 55 million more people. From the most populated areas to large stretches of rural America, consumers will have access to new and innovative technologies and will benefit from increased network capacity and improved service.

Comment: Sprint strongly opposes: Sprint Petitions FCC to Block AT&T's Merger with T-Mobile

Ma Bell is Back

A Tangled Family Tree: How AT & T Became AT & T

Excerpt:

In 1982, AT&T agreed to break up and end its monopoly over the country’s telecommunications business to settle an antitrust suit with the U.S. government, with the division taking effect in 1984.

In the 27 years since, Southwestern Bell, one of the seven “Baby Bells” created by the breakup, has embarked on an acquisition spree that has left the U.S. telecom industry with just a handful of major players.

Comment: Very cool graphic associated with the article. My Father started with Bell back before WWII. After he was drafted he was in the Army for the duration. Upon returning he got his old job back with years of service in the Army credited for his job. He retired in (not real sure about this) 1983 or 1984. He had more than 40 years of service with the company. My Mother still lives on Dad's pension (Dad died in '99).

Wireless oligopoly - AT&T to Buy T-Mobile

AT&T to Buy T-Mobile

Excerpts:

AT&T Inc. agreed to buy T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom AG for $39 billion in cash and stock, in a deal that would create the biggest U.S. wireless carrier by subscribers and fundamentally alter the industry's competitive landscape.

Under the deal, the companies said AT&T will pay $25 billion in cash and the balance in stock, giving T-Mobile's German parent an 8% stake in AT&T.

The deal comes as AT&T is looking for growth after losing its exclusive hold on Apple Inc.'s iPhone in the U.S. and as Deutsche Telekom was actively looking at alternatives for T-Mobile. Those options included recent discussions around a possible sale of the business to Sprint Nextel Corp. or an initial public offering.

The deal would combine two operators using the same network technology and, the companies said, would alleviate spectrum shortages cropping up for each.

...

The combination of No. 2 AT&T and No. 4 T-Mobile would have nearly 130 million customers, about a third more than current market leader Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Vodafone Group PLC and Verizon Communications Inc., and more than twice as many as No. 3 Sprint Nextel

AT&T argues that the combination would mean better wireless broadband service in rural areas, an Obama Administration priority, pledging to cover 95% of the U.S. population. The carrier also said most major U.S. markets have five or more competitors.

The Federal Communications Commission, however, warned last May of growing concentration among wireless providers and, for the first time in years, didn't conclude in its annual industry report that the industry is competitive. The agency would have to approve the transfer of T-Mobile's spectrum licenses to AT&T.

Forrester analyst Charles Golvin said the acquisition would bring better coverage to more people, but said that prices likely wouldn't come down as fast with AT&T and Verizon accounting for nearly three out of every four U.S. subscribers.

Comment: My view is that is will pass regulatory scrutiny. T-Mobile is an under-performing carrier. Three carriers will be better than 4 and make AT&T more competitive in the marketplace.

That pesky Google (vs AT&T and Apple)

Is Google Voice a Threat to AT&T?

Excerpt:

In short, what Apple and AT&T have accomplished with their heavy-handed, Soviet information-control style is not to bury these useful apps. Instead, Apple/AT&T have elevated them to martyr status—and, in effect, thrown down a worldwide challenge to programmers everywhere.

"Get around THIS," they're saying.

But guess what? It won't take long. They've put a rock in the river, but the water will just find a way around it.

Already, Google says it is readying a replacement for the Google Voice app that will offer exactly the same features as the rejected app—except that it will take the form of a specialized, iPhone-shaped Web page. For all intents and purposes, it will behave exactly the same as the app would have; you can even install it as an icon on your Home screen.

What's Apple going to do now? Start blocking access to individual Web sites?

Comment: Liked this "They've put a rock in the river, but the water will just find a way around it."