AT&T agrees to buy T-Mobile

[randomlinh]

Verizon is a long-term established brand with strong reception and service performance.

I'd argue the name AT&T is buried a lot further back than Verizon, given even Verizon has its roots in Ma Bell

Too bad the tech was too different for Sprint.

That, and after the Nextel debacle and lack of cash, I don't see Sprint being able to buy out T-Mobile.

 

[blipblop]

WTF I'm going to jump ship. This is horrible

 

[runawayprisoner]

I'd argue the name AT&T is buried a lot further back than Verizon, given even Verizon has its roots in Ma Bell

Well, yes, the name. But the company is something else almost entirely.

It's worth noting that we are talking about AT&T Inc. and not about AT&T Corp, though the two are obviously closely related from as far back as before I was born.

 

[zerocool84]

Just look at the pics provided in the article. AT&T's first proposed roll-out and look at how much more it is with T-Mobile. Those pics show why AT&T sucks.

 

[Pliablemoose]

http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20110320/t-mobile-we-were-totally-kidding-about-atts-crappy-network/

 

[zerocool84]

http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20110320/t-mobile-we-were-totally-kidding-about-atts-crappy-network/

lol that chick just lost her job

 

[Geekbabe]

I like not having to worry about having devices that work when I'm traveling, that's why I'm with Verizon.

 

[KK]

hopefully having att now wont suck as bad.

 

[abaez]

I just don't like the fact that t-mobile has always been open about bringing whatever GSM phone you want, whenever you want on their network without signing a contract. They even have plans that are $10 cheaper when you do that and don't get on a contract.

I really. really don't think ATT will be cool with that.

 

[ImDonly1]

I was awed by the signal when I was on Page Plus and with the Thunderbolt I just activated, I am wowed by the network speed, I have the equivalent of cable internet speed on my flipping phone.

Possible to flash a thunderbolt to pageplus? Also doesn't pageplus only give you 20mb of data?

 

[pm]

Well this isn't good news at all. Compared to most other countries that I've visited, the US doesn't have a lot of cell phone competition in the nationawide cell phone market. We saw this in action a couple of years back when all of the carriers more or less simultaneously raised their SMS/texting rates all at the same time. In lots of other countries, texts are free (they cost the carrier virtually nothing to send), and in the US all of the carriers decided to raise rates. More competition protects against this sort of cooperative price changing effort.

I'm disappointed enough that I am now planning to submit a public comment opposing this merger to the FCC and the FTC - if you guys feel strongly enough about it, I would encourage you to do the same.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Possible to flash a thunderbolt to pageplus? Also doesn't pageplus only give you 20mb of data?

You can't flash a TB to PP that I know of, and it likely wouldn't be able to use Verizon's LTE network. Currently the TB is sold with unlimited internet access.

 

[SolidSnake42]

Fuck off AT&T. Thanks for destroying a company that probably has more reliability than you.

 

[Oyeve]

Tmo has stated current customers wont be affected in the rates dept and that the lte will only benefit them. I am sticking with tmo as they say (im sure they can change their minds) that data rates will remain the same and that coverage will only get better. I hope so because i despise verizon.

 

[metalmania]

T-mo reception is too bad in NY and NJ.

 

[Strk]

Tmo has stated current customers wont be affected in the rates dept and that the lte will only benefit them. I am sticking with tmo as they say (im sure they can change their minds) that data rates will remain the same and that coverage will only get better. I hope so because i despise verizon.

The coverage should be better for voice, since, I'm going to assume, will be a lot of roaming agreements that were not getting renewed will now start back up between at&t and t-mobile. I don't think this will have an affect on their data coverage though.

 

[SolidSnake42]

Remember, both are GSM and work the same way, so even if the area coverage may be better, doesn't mean that the quality of the coverage is any better.

 

[Aikouka]

I always find it odd how people hate on AT&T, but I've never had a problem with them for the past... ~6 years. Although, what use is personal conjecture, huh?

If you want a fun story, I always get to amaze my family each year when we meet at my aunt's house (rural Pennsylvania) as they cannot get cell phone signal (at all... can't even make a call) and I have no problem getting cell phone signal on my AT&T phone .

 

[God Mode]

Does this mean that tmobiles no-contract plans will change to att prices? This is sad because I wanted to leave ATT so badly and go to tmobile so I can use any gsm phone I want.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Does this mean that tmobiles no-contract plans will change to att prices? This is sad because I wanted to leave ATT so badly and go to tmobile so I can use any gsm phone I want.

no. there are still people on legacy AT&T plans right? it took them like 3-4 years to get rid of them.

 

[EightySix Four]

I actually loved my AT&T coverage... until I started to talk on the phone. Data and text basically never failed me, but recently things have become incredibly busy and the phone has become more and more my primary method of communication and my satisfaction has gone to shit.

 

[dguy6789]

Coverage is just one of many reasons to dislike AT&T. If you happen to live in an area where AT&T has coverage(Which isn't a lot of areas) then of course that alone wouldn't bother you. People dislike AT&T because they are by far the most greedy carrier, the most controlling(AT&T believes it has the right to say what you can and can not install on your Android phone), and you get little for your money. The iPhone is the only reason why AT&T has remained relevant over the last few years, not because of any kind of service or value they provide over their competition.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Why is everyone so against this? Since they're combining networks even people on tmobile will have better signal.

 

[EightySix Four]

Coverage is just one of many reasons to dislike AT&T. If you happen to live in an area where AT&T has coverage(Which isn't a lot of areas) then of course that alone wouldn't bother you. People dislike AT&T because they are by far the most greedy carrier, the most controlling(AT&T believes it has the right to say what you can and can not install on your Android phone), and you get little for your money. The iPhone is the only reason why AT&T has remained relevant over the last few years, not because of any kind of service or value they provide over their competition.

AT&T's data plans fall right in line with Verizon's and only a few years ago Verizon was working to force the phone manufacturers to use their OS for control reasons. All of the carriers suck, but people also place unrealistic demands on them. I'm all for data tiers as long as it is priced appropriately and explained right (which none of them do).

We also expect networks which roll out quickly in Europe and Japan to do the same here, but the population density of the US is 87.3 people/mile^2 while the EU is 307 people/mile^2 and Japan is 878 people/mile^2. It is a lot easier to justify reaching every square mile of the country when there is so much extra money in each mile.

The United States population shafted itself on plans, people in the U.S. would naturally prefer to know exactly how much they're going to spend every month even if that means over paying. People in other countries are less likely to do this and prefer prepaid or by use.

 

[dguy6789]

That is precisely the problem. AT&T charges as much as Verizon when their network is something like 1/5th as good. If you go by network quality AT&T should be charging around what T-Mobile and Sprint charge.