AT&T swallows up T-Mobile USA

[W4RLR]

Which means T-Mobile subscribers could have access to the iPhone by this time next year, among other things:

AT&T buys T-Mobile USA (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_at_t_t_mobile_usa;_ylt=AjoZ3.WNA5XeGcvXtAdyDL4X Ir0F;_ylu=X3oDMTMzczE1bG8zBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwMzIw L3VzX2F0X3RfdF9tb2JpbGVfdXNhBGNjb2RlA3B6YnVyBGNwb3 MDNQRwb3MDNQRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3JpZXMEc2xrA2F0dHRv YnV5dC1tbw--)

[X-Rated]

Well that sucks.

[NQ6U]

Well that sucks.

Unless you're an AT&T subscriber; then things stand to get better. According to one article I read, it would have taken AT&T another five years to build up the cell coverage they're gaining by buying T-Mobile.

[N7RJD]

One less name for Radio Shack to sell.

[WØTKX]

^^^ +100000 from an ex- Shack-a-Lacka manager. :rofl:

[X-Rated]

Unless you're an AT&T subscriber; then things stand to get better. According to one article I read, it would have taken AT&T another five years to build up the cell coverage they're gaining by buying T-Mobile.

Which I am not. I don't want my rates to increase to ATT rates because they are so non consumer oriented. But I really expected this to happen at some point.

[kb2vxa]

It only goes to show if you can't beat them, buy them.

[KC2UGV]

This is bad news...

We will be down to two major wireless carriers, and a third wheel (Sprint)... I expect VZW to make an offer to buy Sprint, or a hostile takeover of Spint by VZW to be coming soon.

[WV6Z]

I keep hearing from the talking heads that this will mean higher rates for T-Maybe subscribers and better coverage for Antiquated Telephone & Telegraph subscribers. As an observation, I stayed away from T-Maybe this past year, when I bailed from Sprint, because their coverage pretty well still sucks(ed), as Sprint's does (did), except in metro areas and along interstate corridors. Did something epic happen to increase T-Maybe's saturation, or did they just get better and faster in metro areas?

My question is based on observation over ancient history and up until about a year and a half ago, so I would really like to know. AT&T and VZW have done quite a lot to improve their coverage along the Greenville to Atlanta corridor and saturate everything in between. I can honestly say that there really isn't anywhere my VZW will not function at full scale 3G, however, I do know that T-Mobile customers and Sprint customers still tend to suffer when not in metro areas. I suppose it wont matter much longer though and yes, I see Sprint being gobbled up by VZW at some point. Soon it will in fact be a coin toss between the pair of monopolies. As usual, it's the consumers who will suffer and not just in the wallet, but also because of shitty customer service and substandard technology.

[KC2UGV]

I keep hearing from the talking heads that this will mean higher rates for T-Maybe subscribers and better coverage for Antiquated Telephone & Telegraph subscribers. As an observation, I stayed away from T-Maybe this past year, when I bailed from Sprint, because their coverage pretty well still sucks(ed), as Sprint's does (did), except in metro areas and along interstate corridors. Did something epic happen to increase T-Maybe's saturation, or did they just get better and faster in metro areas?

My question is based on observation over ancient history and up until about a year and a half ago, so I would really like to know. AT&T and VZW have done quite a lot to improve their coverage along the Greenville to Atlanta corridor and saturate everything in between. I can honestly say that there really isn't anywhere my VZW will not function at full scale 3G, however, I do know that T-Mobile customers and Sprint customers still tend to suffer when not in metro areas. I suppose it wont matter much longer though and yes, I see Sprint being gobbled up by VZW at some point. Soon it will in fact be a coin toss between the pair of monopolies. As usual, it's the consumers who will suffer and not just in the wallet, but also because of shitty customer service and substandard technology.

While the usual players were beefing up their CDMA and GSM coverage, T-Mobile was investing in 4G towers. Suddenly, about 1 year ago, they lit all their towers up, and had a huge swath of area with 4G coverage.

So, yes, they did something major to improve their coverage :)

[WV6Z]

Coolness, well, if it weren't for the monopoly multiplier thrown in for good measure. I guess that Verizon will have to get their game face on now and in the end, we will all pay more.

[KC2UGV]

Coolness, well, if it weren't for the monopoly multiplier thrown in for good measure. I guess that Verizon will have to get their game face on now and in the end, we will all pay more.

What I'm expecting is a major paradigm shift. VZW is backing off of being a cell phone carrier, and looking towards being a mobile data carrier. AT&T is still fighting to not become a dumb pipe, but Verizon already learned they should stay out of the content business, and work to be the best gorram dumb pipe money can buy.

I've gotten into a similar discussion on another forum, and people are starting to see Verizon might not be the fastest, or deliver the most content, but their pipes are the most reliable ones you can get. Reliable enough to pay a slight premium.

[WV6Z]

I can't argue that point, being SC suburbanites (kinda the modern day equivalent of living in the Aussie outback in the early 1960's) and working and visiting in suburban factories away from city centers, I have found that for the moment, VZW is still the most reliable way to go due to their saturation through well planned tower placement selections. AT&T has become quite the formidable competition along the I-85 corridor, but they just aren't quite there, so, yeah, this will be a very good thing for AT&T subscribers and apparently not so much for T-Mobile subs....

The herd has definitely thinned over the years and it's almost hard to believe that US Cellular and Sprint and a few other tiny hanger onners like Metro PCS still manage to limp along. I would imagine that uptown dwellers may stand to get a decent shake from the micro-tel companies though. If you stay in the city, never leave and are just concerned with being able to stay in touch via voice, one of the mom and pop providers is still likely your best choice. Truth be known, my XYL would be perfectly happy with voice and text service only. I rather chalked that up to her being a hillbilly. Now about three years in to smart phone use, I could easily give it up for a text and voice phone with no data plan. Most of us said this years ago when we carried pagers and /\/\oto flip phones, but i will say it again...... there is such a thing as too much accessibility and I have had people send me texts, Facebook messages and leave voice mails, all within the same five minutes. Odd how they never seem to equate my non responses as a desire to not communicate with them.......

[W1GUH]

Which means T-Mobile subscribers could have access to the iPhone by this time next year, among other things:

AT&T buys T-Mobile USA (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_at_t_t_mobile_usa;_ylt=AjoZ3.WNA5XeGcvXtAdyDL4X Ir0F;_ylu=X3oDMTMzczE1bG8zBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwMzIw L3VzX2F0X3RfdF9tb2JpbGVfdXNhBGNjb2RlA3B6YnVyBGNwb3 MDNQRwb3MDNQRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3JpZXMEc2xrA2F0dHRv YnV5dC1tbw--)

Steve Jobs will be happy.

I don't like any phone that doesn't flip like a RAZR. It's too easy to press the wrong buton while wrestling it out of my pocket.

I thought I saw a "RAZR" type phone, only with a larger screen and made by Dell in the window of a Verizon shop. I couldn't find it on the web, tho', so don't know if it's real. Anyone know anything about it?

[X-Rated]

Winners and Losers (http://www.businessinsider.com/att-t-mobile-winners-and-losers-2011-3#winner-att-and-mobility-ceo-ralph-de-la-vega-1) so to speak.

[WV6Z]

Steve Jobs will be happy.

I don't like any phone that doesn't flip like a RAZR. It's too easy to press the wrong buton while wrestling it out of my pocket.

I thought I saw a "RAZR" type phone, only with a larger screen and made by Dell in the window of a Verizon shop. I couldn't find it on the web, tho', so don't know if it's real. Anyone know anything about it?

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd302/wv6z/oldfartfone.jpg

[W5RB]

AT&T swallows

+1.

[WØTKX]

For "just a phone" I also am a big Motorola Razr fan.
Good phone, old fart readable without glasses.

[X-Rated]

N2RJ said


AT&T is getting married to T-Mobile. There will be no reception afterwards.

[w6tmi]

Nobody is "rolling out 4g", Verizon is the closest, at least they rolled out the newer LTE advanced, which COULD be 4g but technically not recognized by the ITU as such.

The others are basically 3G+, specs don't nearly meet the IMT-2000 standards.

But I guess nobody's going to fork over more money for "nearly 4g". Or "Sorta 4g-ish".

I don't like it, essentially you'll have AT&T as the only GSM carrier, with Verizon & Sprint/Nextel fighting the good CDMA fight.

I doubt you'll see a t-mobile iphone soon. Not until they are totally absorbed, probably a year just for admin, let alone technical. By then Android will have the larger market share.. :shhh:

Ok, that last part is a bit of a troll.. :mrgreen:

[KC2UGV]

Nobody is "rolling out 4g", Verizon is the closest, at least they rolled out the newer LTE advanced, which COULD be 4g but technically not recognized by the ITU as such.

The others are basically 3G+, specs don't nearly meet the IMT-2000 standards.


The ITU changed the specs for the "4G" moniker recently :( Now, the "sorta 4G" is "4G"...



But I guess nobody's going to fork over more money for "nearly 4g". Or "Sorta 4g-ish".


It's a matter of market penetration. T-Mobile has the widest 4G coverage right now.



I don't like it, essentially you'll have AT&T as the only GSM carrier, with Verizon & Sprint/Nextel fighting the good CDMA fight.


Well, you've got Sprint :lol:



I doubt you'll see a t-mobile iphone soon. Not until they are totally absorbed, probably a year just for admin, let alone technical. By then Android will have the larger market share.. :shhh:

Ok, that last part is a bit of a troll.. :mrgreen:

I agree there. T-Mobile will most certainly never see the iPhone now. And, Android already has beaten out iOS in market share. By 2%.

[WV6Z]

N2RJ said

He is correct.

[W1GUH]

"N2RJ said"


WTF?

No....not WTF did N2RJ mean, I mean, Where TF did a quote from him here come from?

[w6tmi]

The ITU changed the specs for the "4G" moniker recently :( Now, the "sorta 4G" is "4G"...


I haven't seen this. If it's true, probably telco pressure. Or wimax fail.



It's a matter of market perception. T-Mobile has the widest 4G coverage right now.


Fixt.. :)


Well, you've got Sprint :lol:


I don't. lol. They're CDMA anyway. Not that it still isn't competition here, but you'll never see one in Eu



I agree there. T-Mobile will most certainly never see the iPhone now. And, Android already has beaten out iOS in market share. By 2%.

Indeed? I thought they might be close, didnt see android actually beat ios. Wonder if that's including ipad sales. ipads/2 are still beating everything in that market.

[WX7P]

"N2RJ said"


WTF?

No....not WTF did N2RJ mean, I mean, Where TF did a quote from him here come from?

Who the f... cares? either way. Oh, is that a personal attack?

[KC2UGV]

I haven't seen this. If it's true, probably telco pressure. Or wimax fail.


You got it :) On both counts.



Fixt.. :)


No, it's penetration. T-Mobile truly does have the largest 4G network right now. However, they're market penetration is weak. So, not many people are using 4G yet.



I don't. lol. They're CDMA anyway. Not that it still isn't competition here, but you'll never see one in Eu


Didn't realize you were in the EU.



Indeed? I thought they might be close, didnt see android actually beat ios. Wonder if that's including ipad sales. ipads/2 are still beating everything in that market.

I thought we were talking Smartphones? I would hope the iPads are beating out everything else in the tablet market. They've been doing it for 3 years now :) The first official Android tablet just started shipping last month.

[W1GUH]

Who the f... cares? either way. Oh, is that a personal attack?

You're GOOD at reading between the lines!!!

(Not that I was conscious of any malignancy -- that makes you good at analysis, too!)

:snicker:

[X-Rated]

In an effort to repeat the statement without being charged with plagiarism, I named my source.

So sue me.

[X-Rated]

"AT&T has decided to buy T-Mobile
for $39 billion. It was a tough call for
AT&T, but then, every call is a tough
call for AT&T."
-- Jimmy Fallon

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

T-Mobile has a set of frequencies nationwide that is true 4G, UMTS.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Wireless_Services
This is in addition to the 800 and 1900 MHz assignments.

[W3MIV]

Hello.

We thot perhaps you had been kidnapped and hauled off to Saudi Arabia for interrogation.

[kd8dey]

I guess when the current T-mobile advertising contract expires there will be no more AT&T bashing commercials.