😁 According to the news release-it will make them much larger than Verizon and they have the cash (assets) to enable the transaction to occur. The Feds will probably allow such as the way the new end product will operate will be a little different than one huge central source or something like that. I read how it may happen with either company on-line somewhere last week that explained the merger.

Looking at this from both an AT&T Wireless Employee and a Cingular Customer(Still under contract, have my own beef with Cingular), merging with T-Mobile would give them a good sized foothold with GSM, but combining our TDMA networks and GSM Networks I think would be a much more attractive package. It would really up the ante and strength of both GSM and TDMA Coverages where I think we need it badly and vice versa with Cingular. Then the uber company could swallow up T-Mobile at its leisure. But then again, this does scream, "MONOPOLY!" doesn't it? Just don't land on the Boardwalk, its expensive.

I don't see monopoly at all here. What about Verizon, Sprint, all the smaller carriers? Maybe GSM providers decrease in numbers but it would seem to me the monopoly question has to do with the end product/servce, which is wireless communication - who cares about the technology used to deliver it. I think it would be one of the best things that could happen - ie. a Cingular/ATTWS merger, resulting in a strong company to compete with Verizon and able to start really moving forward with 3G and beyond. Honestly, I just can't see how the economics of the industry, at least in the US, can support 6+ national carriers and many smaller ones. Consolidation, IMHO, is going to happen. So, if Cingular is looking to acquire, I would think the quest...
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I think it would be a huge benefit for both consumer and stock holder if Cingular and ATT Wireless merged, but your clear headedness is not shared by many of the public I fear, they would simply see sensational headlines about uber large corporations merging and what not. 🙄

Yep, mergers are not monopolies. Both Cingular and AT&T stand to loose ground over LNP issues but there would be a strong untied front possible. There is, however, one question.

What if the merger is actually in reverse? For Cingular customers to suddenly be saddled with AT&T finance policies would really suck. Cingular's contract renewal gave it an edge over AT&T. If they become AT&T then they will loose customers.

Not to worry, AT&T would become Cingular, not the other way around.

BTW...

Today in Michigan and Ohio Cingular brought back the 1000 anytime rollover minutes for $39.99/month.

i dont think att would become cingular or viceversa as it is not a buyout but a merger. they would become att cingular or something like it, or maybe a brand new name. and as for the policies, i think they would sit down the two companies and go over what their policies and offers are and pick which ones work best, obviously if a att plan is more profitable then a cingular plan, then they will keep it, or if the way cingular renews contract or sells phones is more profitable they would go with that. it probably would not be just straight attws policy or straight cingular policy, but a combination of both. and i dont think there would be a problem with monopolies, because combined they would only have the gap over verizon that verizon has...
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They would merge under one name and it won't be like AT&T Cingular or T-Mobile. If this goes through and all indications it will with one of them ( currently they are evaluating which would be more advantageous to the Cingular network)and no doubt more issues will arise in the day to day operatioins but in the end it will be all under the Cingular Network and how they set it up. They cannot be dictated to by a company that has bought out. It will be good for all except the 10-15% of the expected cuts in the work force but this may be reduced.

A good example is the Bank of America buying out Fleet Bank. It will absorb Fleet and all of its holdings etc into BOA and there will be Fleet no more. 🙂

but your all forgetting this isnt a buyout, its a merger, not a take over but a joinnig of forces. so att will have say in the way the company is run, and it will not all be under the cingular network.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!MERGER NOT BUYOUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yes it is a "merger" which is a buyout. It may not even be AT&T but Cingular is the "parent" financial source and whomever is "merged" within its holdings will be subject to its corporate rulings etc. The one that is being sought for the "merger" has some say in the planning prior to but NOT after the legalities are finished and recorded unless certain agreements/conditions are approved prior to the deal. I can get into the legalities but it's boring and let's see what occurs in the next 60 days or so.

a merger is not a buyout, there is a reason there are two different names, otherise it would just be called a buyout.

Listen-terms overlap in many professions and the "lay person" has a definition that is unlike those in specialty areas such as medicine, law etc. Most everyone has seen that one word has different meaning depending on its usage. Merger is a buyout of some degree but it varies on its formulation such as cash, assets, both etc as well as the creation of this new company etc. A merger does NOT indicate that the parties involved will SHARE or be equal nor have any say in the foundation of such merger or thereafter unless strict terms are noted prior to the closing. Your definition to you does not necessitate that of the legal one or another. Having degrees in 2 different health professions, Theology and Law there are a multitude of overlaps th...
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but saying that cingular would be able to buyout, or even consider buying out aws, is funny. att is number three, and cingular number two, attws is not some little company that can just be absorbed, if it were to happen that they merged, attws would not just rollover and die, there would be no benfit to them to do that. cingular cant just walk in a say i own you now move over. it would be an equal thing if these two giants were to join, and they would probably go with a new name or joined named, it would not be solely cingular.

You must really like to argue with people and have to get the last word in! This is my last response as I have a corporate charter to finish for a merger that was a buyout as well! Both companies are of equal size and assets but one is buying out the other, all CEO's etc are going with the new company which the name remains the same and no additional changes were made.(thankfully)

Look into the merger/buyout of AT&T cable systems to Comcast. We have been there when AT&T bought Mediaone and absorbed it then Comcast with AT&T. Again number one & two and now just Comcast without AT&T in name, or other factors that you describe "will and must" happen! Fact is Comcast cleaned up AT&T's mess and increased profits rather quickly.

I am quite ...
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personally i think you can use merger and buyout so loosely. most companys wont even call it a buy out, even when it is. take for example DaimlerChrysler, that was a buy out in disguise as a "merger"

Well said-exactly! It's all terminology.

Really, Cingular Wireless is number 2 on the wireless market in the terms of customer base. AT&T wireless is number two in the terms of profitability. Cingular has had a hard time keeping customers, even without LNP, and managing its massive base is just too tough. If Cingular is looking to merge, its obviously to help itself, since it sees problems arrising perhaps in the future. Perhaps the rollout of their 3G upgrade isn't going as planned, and they forsee some major troubles keeping competitive.

The fact is, AT&T Corporation actually owned the Bell name until it sold off the subsidiaries long ago, like back in the 50's or something. Cingular is actually the merger of SBC, BellSouth, and a bunch of other Bell names, really... so they'l...
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Being involved with people for many years and in all areas of their lives-I still find it so interesting and yet perplexed how some can argue with others about situations that they really do not understand on a factual basis or are just guessing about, when there is not one fact on basis, it is a futuristic guess, and who cares but those who must make their "point" on a site such as this.

I will say that I did have a discussion with the main office yesterday and not only do they find this rather amusing but they intend to keep the name the same-at this point.

DO some research as well and you will find that in these matters: two number two ranked companies (such as you have described) have taken the name of only one company, number two ...
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What amuses me even more is how you think you're so sagely and all knowing about how a company will work The AT&T brand has been around for over a hundred years. Cingular has not. You do the math. I am not arguing, I am simply stating why they would chose AT&T's brand name over Cingular. Hell, they may take some third name. You're right, it is up to their board of directors when and if the time comes, but a struggling company despirate for a merger to avoid massive losses isn't going to argue much. 🙂

I know I am right as I do the this day in and out. The name does mean something but is not a factor when such a transaction takes place. Bottom line is how they can convey their product and it's positive facts that will place them above the competition. Again-they are looking into T-Mobile as well but AT&T is in some trouble at this point and is willing to dump the wireless division soon. Trust me- Cingular is not desperate ans is far from it. They are the fastest growing and most tech advanced company at this time. They are working out all problems prior to going on line and not after as most other companies do. Just eh facts-no guesses etc.

Cingular isn't the fastest growing, silly. They're the ones spending the most money, yes... but this is to play catchup with carriers like AT&T Wireless and Verizon. They are not the most tech advanced company, they havn't even rolled out EDGE, and have no future 3G plan, at least one out in the public like it should be.

They're the ones looking for a merger, not T-Mobile, or AT&T Wireless.

Cingular was the first company to launch EDGE months ago. They are just waiting to have a full nationwide GSM network before they launch it nationwide. For AT&T to launch EDGE without GSM in all their markets was stupid. It's not going to work everywhere. And one more thing, Cingular is the fastest growing, look at the coverage maps.

😎 You have stated what has been in the press etc as well as what I and others have discussed here but there are those who would rather not research the facts. Cingular is looking to buy-out another carrier which will make them the largest, ahead of Verizon and be able to offer more benefits. They have all the $$ they need and it will only benefit whomever they decide on and their customers as well.

AT&T Wireless has launched EDGE in all their current markets, which is in its entire GSM coverage area, which is rapidly expanding. Cingular's coverage is based on agreements with other providers to beef it up enough to look even remotely good.

Look, lets not get into a pissing contest, AT&T Wireless isn't the one looking for the merger, Cingular is. I don't even know if AT&T wireless would agree to a merger. We'll just have to wait and see. 🙂
If Cingular had the $$, they'd be far beyond AT&T Wireless. As it stands, both companies are about matched evenly. Cingular's parent company is the ones that got the $$, SBC.

You do know that AT&T has agreements as well? That's how ALL of the current GSM carriers get more coverage. So, what was your point, really? Cingular as more licensing agreements than AT&T, that's why their map has more coverage.

Hey Biggie! Hope you don't mind that! I only can repeat what I've read as well as what I am told directly from their Arky HQ's but you seem more knowledgeable. I have seen their map grow faster than anyone. My best friends brother is a VP at Nextel and has also stated the same that Cingular is a powerhouse that researches prior to doing something so that they don't spend the $$ and time to fix the problems as a result of poor planning. Fact is he wouldn't even sell me Nextel and told me stay with Cingular as many changes are in store!

Thats incorrect. Cingular has had their own problems. No one remembers when Cingulars GSM systems went down entirely for several days? No one remembers when they lost nearly a million customers? The only reason they're so big is because of their mom and pap, SBC and BellSouth. 🙂

....moobak...You work for AT&T, right?

Don't you remember when our GSM system/siebel was down for at least two weeks, when it was 'upgrading'

Happened Less Than A Month Ago...

down for several days? when that happened my phone stopped working on saturday night and worked intermittenly untill that sunday day and a half max, and from what i understand it was caused by wlnp stuff

Yeah, you're right. That was caused by WLNP. And obviously ATTW screwed that one up too as we all know.

ps
Why would you need to interupt service to upgrade WLNP software?

tz

ATTWS actually is making money Cingular really is not it is however holding its own AWS HAS rolled out EDGE in all of its GSM markets and towers.Cingular is reporteldy still 8 -10 months away.AWS will launch UMTS in 12 -16 months go figure.AWS already has the fastest mobile wireless network in North America and can almost match Europe and is clsing in on Asia when UMTS launches.AWS customer spend more as reported by many Wireless columns and offers more worldwide agreements.
also on the subject on Monopoly .the FCC will decide that.butAWS has approx 22 mill cust and Cingular w 23.5 mill.Verizon is around 32 -33 million.also AWS is #2 to Verizon in the money making dept. Cingulat wants to merge w/ someone who makes cash not bleeds it like TM...
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"AWS will launch UMTS in 12 -16 months"

My friend they aren't even done overhauling their TDMA to GSM! They wouldn't even try to take on another upgrade until they recoop the billions they have spent getting the GSM up and running without major glitches ie: Their GSM customers not having access to their mobiles while reportably doing an upgrade. (sounds like someone messed up to me) I am a Cingular customer and i have worked for ATTWS and i say this with all sincerity if Cingular and ATTWS merge i will port my number the next day!

I think you need to do some more research. Cingular is one of 2 cell phone companies actually making a profit. The statement you just said sounds maybe a tad bit outdated. I would go back to your source and advised them they are incorrect. I work for a carrier and see numbers all day long about US carriers and those statements are simple not the case.

check any financial page on wireless .AWS is the second largest carrier in the USA based on revenue. behind VERIZON . 😁
AWS has a higer APRU that CINGULAR in fact i do believe only SPRINT is higher due to the fact that SPRINT users pay for everything..

Did you say that AT&T was looking to dump it's wireless division? AT&T Wireless split off from AT&T corporate on 7/9/01 when they released their IPO, that means that they split from corporate, not that corporate dumped them. To get technical, AT&T Wireless was making $ & AT&T was not, so when NTT DO CO MO (the leading Japanese wireless carrier & technology provider) pumped 9 Billion dollars into AT&T Wireless, it was an easy decision to split. AT&T Wireless oficially got about 5 Billion of that due to $ owed to AT&T, but the point is that they have been the largest indipendantly owned wireless carrier in north america since 7/9/01 bar none!

moobak said:
What amuses me even more is how you think you're so sagely and all knowing about how a company will work The AT&T brand has been around for over a hundred years. Cingular has not. You do the math. I am not arguing, I am simply stating why they would chose AT&T's brand name over Cingular. Hell, they may take some third name. You're right, it is up to their board of directors when and if the time comes, but a struggling company despirate for a merger to avoid massive losses isn't going to argue much. 🙂

Man, were YOU wrong... 🤣

make it completely new but with a old name, bell cellular

Funny how things actually turned out huh..Guess Marinedad was right..

Well with AT&T being 10's of BILLIONs in debt and one of Cingular's parent companies (BellSouth) having in access of 20 billion in cash stored away I think Cingular will dictate what they feel like dictating to AT&T. The one with the cash is always the one that is large and in charge.

Who knows? And all carriers are in debt, INCLUDING Cingular with loans, etc... their parent companies SBC (the major owner) and BellSouth arn't as liberal in their spending for Cingular as you think. Its like you saying "Can I have 20,000 dollars, mom?"... not going to happen. Where did you get the information that AT&T Wireless has a 10 Billion dollar debt? Backup your claims.

"combining our TDMA networks and GSM Networks I think would be a much more attractive package."

The use of TDMA isn't even a consideration because if you were to look into what you are reporting you would find that Cingular debuted the 850 Mhz so that they could convert their TDMA networks in areas already subsidized for a competing GSM carrier. Asper FCC regulations there can only be a maximum of 2 1900Mhz GSM carriers in a subsidized area. So Cingular is working towards that as we speak and all the new networks that they are building are supposed to be in the 850Mhz range.

"According to the news release-it will make them much larger than Verizon and they have the cash (assets) to enable the transaction to occur."

In actuallity ATTWS is in debt up to their eyeballs from all that i have seen spending more thatn 3 billion (hearsay) on their network overhaul. So i think it would be in Cingular's/ Cingular's customers best intrest to merge with T-moblie. ATTWS plans ar for the dogs. If Cingular merges with ATTWS i will port my number to Verizon!