AT&T in $67 Billion Deal to Buy BellSouth

Jerry Raia

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...6030500501.html

"AT&T Inc. announced plans yesterday to buy BellSouth Corp. for about $67 billion in stock in a deal that would reassemble large swaths of the old "Ma Bell" local-telephone monopoly but is likely to win regulatory approval because of growing competition from mobile phone, cable and Internet telephone companies. The merger would dramatically expand San Antonio-based AT&T, which is already the largest phone company in the country, by extending its local-phone service into 22 states and giving it full control of Cingular Wireless, the largest mobile phone company in the nation."

Just the sound of those 3 letters makes me shudder. They represent immobility that led to failure. Yet they are touted as a divine moniker that everyone will just flock to when they see it. Just like walking into the light. I am disappointed that they are resurrecting this dinosaur name. The article points out they will dump the Cingular name, a name I happen to like. The real question is will this buyout be good for customers in the end?
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HalM · Smartphone Ponderer Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 75

I am with you on this deal. Bad vibes all around.

Also, I have lost my score card but I thought BellSouth spun off BellSouth Mobility to merge it with a few others that created Cingular. If so, how can they drop the name?

Fritzly · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 5:01 pm Post subject:

Bad news indeed. I will begin to look for a new DSL provider; AT&T had a maximum amount of MB per month and other issues. So long guys, you lost a customer.

optikalsaint · Smartphone Thinker Joined: 28 May 2005 Posts: 344

wshwe · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:13 pm Post subject:

The Feds should not approve this buyout. It puts too much of our nation's communications infrastructure in the hands of 1 company. AT&T and Cingular are both known for their lousy customer service.

sigmamason · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:47 pm Post subject:

I hope that the buyout brings some lower prices from Bellsouth. They are arguably much higher for the same service level than Verizon or SBC/AT&T.

Their minimum DSL is priced at the same price point as Premium DSL from Yahoo/SBC and/or Verizon...

The price point of local landline service is ridiculous, no wonder Vonage is kicking their rearend...Comcast is beating them down also for high-speed internet access...