p2pnet - rss feed: Cingular buys ATT for $41-B
US mobile telephone operator Cingular Wireless is now the proud owner of former rival AT&T Wireless - for a cool 41 billion dollars.
Cingular’s bid topped a rival $38 billion bid from Vodafone of Britain, the world’s largest wireless phone provider which also owns a 45% cent stake in the largest US cellular phone company, Verizon Wireless, says a rediff.com report here,
It says the new the combine will have 46,000,000 customers and will, "create the largest GSM etwork in the United States with spectrum in 49 states and coverage in 97 of the top 100 markets".
Cingular is jointly owned by Baby Bells SBC Communications Inc and BellSouth Corp and SBC will contribute about $25 billion and BellSouth will pay $16 billion to buy AT&T Wireless, says rediff.com, going on that the acquisition is expected to be completed as soon as late 2004 and of shareholders of AT&T Wireless will receive $15 cash per common share.
Cingular estimates that the two companies combined together will provide $1 billion in savings by 2006 and more than twice that in 2007, adds the story.
February 17th, 2004 at 10:17 pm
I am so sorry this happened! Cingular is not a good company and I left them to go with ATT Wireless. Now that I can take my number I’ll be joining Verizon.
February 17th, 2004 at 10:56 pm
This going to be great for both cingular and att customers. They will have great coverage together.
February 18th, 2004 at 1:52 am
This will be a good blow to the American way!!
The world follows a standard….Americans historically have had a problem with world standards…claiming that they were different and better than the world….
The world standard gets back to them!!
so long Verizon Wireless!!
February 19th, 2004 at 5:27 am
This is going to be awesome for the consumer. It will provide:
1. better customer service
2. better price points
3. even improved coverage (both companies use the same technology)
4. more products/service like EDGE
5. see more offering maybe with SBC and BellSouth & ATT landline
February 25th, 2004 at 11:30 pm
this is great…not only will cingular customers have MUCH better reception, but ATT customers will have a chance to get in on the BEST RECEPTION AVAILABLE and NOT have to pay a $175 disconnecting fee!!! Personally, that is what I’m going to do =) . I currently have ATT Wireless and am planning on switching to Cingular within the next week. I wont have to pay a disconnecting fee and I’ll enjoy the benefits of the largest cellular phone company in America!!! I used to hate Cingular because of its bad reputation because of its service, but now that it will be using the ports that ATT uses, it will be HUGE! And FINALLY, I can get myself a nice CAMERA phone at a CHEAP price =)
February 28th, 2004 at 2:50 am
hey,
don’t be a dombo, ATT and Cingular toguether will be the best wireless netowrk it should be ok
March 1st, 2004 at 4:50 pm
Cingular is apparently already using the ATT port near my location in Central Massachusetts. Cingular was previously not even on my phone’s list of available networks. Now my phone indicates that I am roaming on Cingular’s network in an area I used to get full ATT coverage. This is criminal because I am now, according to ATT customer service, being charged roaming fees for use of the former ATT network ports. Was this part of the deal? That ATT could recieve extra money by swithing their ports to Cingular and charging roaming fees for use of their own network? I want my money.
April 26th, 2004 at 9:20 pm
THEY ARE NOT USING THE SAME SYSTEM ARE THEY? DOES NOT ATT HAVE THE BETTER SYSTEM?
WE WERE NEVER LUCKY ENOUGHT TO HAVE ATT HERE, GOT STUCK WITH SUNCOM, I WONDER WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THEM??
DAVID
DHKEYWEST@AOL.COM
SAVANNAH
April 27th, 2004 at 2:46 pm
What an idiot, learn how to spell PLEASE!
October 2nd, 2004 at 8:44 pm
I have to agree that Cingular is not a good company because they dont have good customer service, they always give you another ### to call to get what you want, each one of them can only handle one thing, they cant handle multi task. how about offering your customers transfering? i feel they dont know what transfer mean, Cingular customer service are annoying, they dont know shit, and they are not professional, and the most annoying is when they give you another ### to call. WTF is this? is Cingular still back in the 1960?
_Another thing is they charge almost anything that they get their hand on it.
Also, cingular GSM network suck! I cant use it inside some building, even high skinny building no signal at all, and some street i get bussy network, and their signal seem like picking up slow. I though cingular GSM is like ATT Gsm, but not!
I’vd called to complain and they try to offer me the more expensive plan, i said hell no. Cingular suck so i am not paying more.
I should have stick with att becaus they have very good customer service, and their network are very good. I will switch company and never go back to Cingular again.
TL
October 26th, 2004 at 7:44 pm
I have AT&T regular service, I stopped Using the GSM service 1.5 years ago because it was terrible and couldn’t get service that I needed driving across country. Two wrongs don’t make a right in my book. I too had trouble in buildings, and forget major cities like Las Vegas, I guess I’ll be moving on to Sprint, or Verizon
September 23rd, 2006 at 9:25 pm