AT&T in $67 Billion Deal to Buy BellSouth

[Jerry Raia]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/05/AR2006030500501.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?

[Jerry Raia]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/05/AR2006030500501.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?

[HalM]

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]

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.

[Rocco Augusto]

Originally Posted by Fritzly

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.

before you start looking for another provider remember that AT&T was recently just bought by SBC which decided to keep the AT&T name. i wouldnt ditch your DSL just because the name might change. whats going on now is no different then if SBC decided to purchase BellSouth, just a different name.

wait to see what actually goes on with this buyout and once something is written in stone i'm sure either BellSouth or AT&T will inform their customers of any changes in policy or pricing at which time then you can start running for the hills screaming :lol:

[wshwe]

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]

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...