# AT&T to buy T Mobile **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 20, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389 "2011-03-20T20:01:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/1 "2011-03-20T20:01:24Z")
[http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/4418605-418/att-to-buy-deutsche-telekoms-t-mobile-for-39-billion.html](http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/4418605-418/att-to-buy-deutsche-telekoms-t-mobile-for-39-billion.html) I have T Mobile and like it so I don’t know what I will do when my contract is up next month. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/2 "2011-03-20T20:12:36Z")
I doubt much will change…and the article I read said this might take 12 months to finalize, so I wouldn’t worry much about anything just yet. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/3 "2011-03-20T20:21:16Z")
😕 TMobile has been spending a fortune skewering AT&T in funny commercials. They are similiar to the Mac/PC commercials. If the sale was being negotiated why blow money on a huge ad campaign? The TMobile girl is Carly Foulkes [http://www.pocketgecko.com/wp-content/uploads/10x1103orub3etmo.jpg](http://www.pocketgecko.com/wp-content/uploads/10x1103orub3etmo.jpg) [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKiv-4mY0_I) I guess they are out of jobs now. I saw the commercial again last night. Stinking AT&T is buying up the frigging world. The Justice dept spent 10 years breaking up this monster. Now Ma Bell is back. ---
**Author:** ![Nadir](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nadir/32/7302_2.png) [@Nadir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nadir)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/4 "2011-03-20T20:28:31Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Stinking AT&T is buying up the frigging world. The Justice dept spent 10 years breaking up this monster. Now Ma Bell is back. Nice try arguing with success, there ace. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/5 "2011-03-20T20:40:10Z")
Some info on the AT&T antitrust lawsuit. It was filed in 1974 and finally won 1982. Millions of dollars were spent battling to bust up this giant trust. > **[Breakup of the Bell System](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_System_divestiture)** > > The breakup of the Bell System was mandated on January 8, 1982, by a consent decree providing that AT&T Corporation would, as had been initially proposed by AT&T, relinquish control of the Bell Operating Companies, which had provided local telephone service in the United States. This effectively took the monopoly that was the Bell System and split it into entirely separate companies that would continue to provide telephone service. AT&T would continue to be a provider of long-distance service, They are bigger than ever now. AT&T is my only option for DSL, local phone and before much longer… cell phone. ---
**Author:** ![Nadir](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nadir/32/7302_2.png) [@Nadir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nadir)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/6 "2011-03-20T20:44:15Z")
I wonder where the numbers or statistics are for how much it cost the consumers in terms of poorer service and increased cost? ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/7 "2011-03-20T20:47:57Z")
I can get local phone from the cable company or AT&T but the cable company is a joke so that’s not much of an option. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/8 "2011-03-20T20:56:41Z")
Meant to add: Not a slam dunk the government will approve this, they may have to make changes to get the OK for the merger. I know it takes 12 months to finalize this but I am going to get a new phone soon so it might make sense for me to look at AT&T since I might end up there next year anyway. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/9 "2011-03-20T21:13:33Z")
I used a local company for dial up Internet for almost 10 years. When I upgraded to DSL I had to go to AT&T. I asked my dial up provider why they didn’t offer DSL. They told me they’d have to lease the lines/equip from AT&T. That cost too much for them to offer DSL competitively. I recall what phones were like under Ma Bell. They were hard wired into the wall. Want an extension phone? You had to pay extra. You couldn’t even buy a phone back then. You had to lease it from AT&T. My dad went to Radio Shack and got a 4 prong jack and wire. So we could use the phone in multiple rooms. Our first answering machine came with a sticker warning we could get into trouble for connecting unauthorized equipment to the phone system. Ma bell owned those lines that went into your house. Technically, My dad could have gotten into trouble for running his own extension jack. Although I never heard of anyone getting in trouble. If Ma Bell hadn’t been broken up… I doubt pc users could have _freely_ connected modems to the phone lines in 1986. We might not have an internet today. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/10 "2011-03-20T21:24:35Z")
For those who don’t know what it was like with AT&T as a monopoly and $0.40 cents a minute or more to call another area code back in the 80’s… [http://www.hulu.com/watch/4163/saturday-night-live-ernestine](http://www.hulu.com/watch/4163/saturday-night-live-ernestine) Isn’t far from the truth. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/11 "2011-03-20T21:26:14Z")
I should add. this is the second time my cell phone has been acquired by AT&T I started with Cingular. They got gobbled up. Moved to T-Mobile. Now I have to find a different company. \ ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/12 "2011-03-20T21:26:18Z")
Verizon is still a big company for them to compete with for cell service. They try to screw everyone and Verizon will get a lot of new customers. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/13 "2011-03-20T21:29:25Z")
And then there were three. I wonder how long Sprint will last. Seriously, they should have picked up T-Mobile to keep them in the running as a viable third network. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/14 "2011-03-20T21:33:51Z")
A lot of rumors said Sprint and T Mobile would merge, they probably had talks but could not agree on a deal. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/15 "2011-03-20T21:41:21Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > For those who don’t know what it was like with AT&T as a monopoly and $0.40 cents a minute or more to call another area code back in the 80’s. I remember the days when a long distance call was a big deal and a relatively expensive thing. I can remember the old folks shushing us kids when they were on the phone and it was _long distance_. I think that this will ultimately be good for AT&T users. More towers = fewer dropped calls. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/16 "2011-03-20T21:50:57Z")
Ernestine that brings back good memories. 😃 I had an 8 track of Lilly Tomlin doing that telephone operator character. Good times! > [@Chimera](#): > > For those who don’t know what it was like with AT&T as a monopoly and $0.40 cents a minute or more to call another area code back in the 80’s.. > > [http://www.hulu.com/watch/4163/saturday-night-live-ernestine](http://www.hulu.com/watch/4163/saturday-night-live-ernestine) > > Isn’t far from the truth. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/17 "2011-03-20T22:55:28Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > A lot of rumors said Sprint and T Mobile would merge, they probably had talks but could not agree on a deal. I think Sprint uses CDMA while both AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM, so it makes a lot more sense for AT&T to buy T-Mobile. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/18 "2011-03-21T00:09:48Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > For those who don’t know what it was like with AT&T as a monopoly and $0.40 cents a minute or more to call another area code back in the 80’s.. > > [http://www.hulu.com/watch/4163/saturday-night-live-ernestine](http://www.hulu.com/watch/4163/saturday-night-live-ernestine) > > Isn’t far from the truth. …brought to you by T-Mobile! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/19 "2011-03-21T00:47:46Z")
T Mobile phones could already use the AT&T network in areas where T Mobile had no towers. ---
**Author:** ![Cell\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Cell\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cell_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389/20 "2011-03-21T02:20:27Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Some info on the AT&T antitrust lawsuit. It was filed in 1974 and finally won 1982. Millions of dollars were spent battling to bust up this giant trust. > [Breakup of the Bell System - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_System_divestiture) > > They are bigger than ever now. AT&T is my only option for DSL, local phone and before much longer… cell phone. Wrong. The company you are referring to ceased to exist in 2005 when SBC (formerly known as Southwestern Bell Corporation) purchased it and turned it into a subsidiary. SBC then changed it’s name to AT&T. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-t-to-buy-t-mobile/575389.md?page=2)