AT&T is driving this move. They are wanting to see what D.O.J.'s decision is first (fighting one battle at a time)... "I F" D.O.J. give the greenlight , then its back on again.
AT&T has been pushing some "rather tasteless clever" ad series called "You've Got A Case" Heres one:
What kinda worries me is as part of the deal tmo pretty much had to say "We are going to fail if you don't let AT&T buy us out" well not quite in those words. I doubt the money tmo gets for AT&T withdrawing is going to keep it floating so I think we will still see the big 4 turn into the big 3 without outside intervention.
It would be interesting if Google decided to try to buy tmo but I don't think that would happen personally as then it would be rather difficult to get other carrier to sell Android phones IMO.
If tmo does go under it at least allows the customers to move to their carrier of choice instead of being forced onto a carrier.
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The only reason why I am happy that this takeover didn't go through is because I felt ATT didn't need Tmo. Sprint certainly can use them and to me that was the most logical merger that can help the consumers.
I hope Sprint and Tmo can still merge. (fingers crossed)
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The only reason why I am happy that this takeover didn't go through is because I felt ATT didn't need Tmo. Sprint certainly can use them and to me that was the most logical merger that can help the consumers.
I hope Sprint and Tmo can still merge. (fingers crossed)
Agreed. A merger with Sprint makes the most sense. Plus, at&t's recent carrot to the FCC was to divest some of the smaller markets to other companies. IMO that wouldn't benefit the people IN those small markets.
The only reason why I am happy that this takeover didn't go through is because I felt ATT didn't need Tmo. Sprint certainly can use them and to me that was the most logical merger that can help the consumers.
I hope Sprint and Tmo can still merge. (fingers crossed)
Yes that would make sense and benefit both companies at least with market share but the two carriers use different technology. Sprint has CDMA and WiMax while they are going to be converting to LTE, Tmo is GSM and HSPA+ so a merger is not likely since the mix of technology would not benefit either company.
The way I see it, Google is smart...slow and strategic. I've been watching their telecom moves for awhile. They first got into Wifi they tried to use San Francisco as a test city for free Wifi but the Supervisors dragged their feet and the offer was pulled. They give the free Wifi to the city of Mountain View. Is this just out of the kindness of their hearts? Don't bet on it!
Next, Android and the Nexus One are introduced and go large. Then, they acquire Google Voice (Something or other Central wasn't it?) from its former parent. They tied it into Gmail, all of which applications make it a beast...which neatly ties into Android...which is now heavy with Google Apps. Sweet!
ATT was never an Android house. They were a Windows and Apple house. If they had gotten Tmo, it could have been a dark day for Android, let alone the end of competitive pricing for consumers.
Google buys Motorola Mobile - American handset manufacturer. Interesting turn of events! So let's see: They have a handset. They have an OS. They have apps. They have distribution via the market. They have a handset maker. They have Wifi. They have VoIP. They have a boatload of consumers already tied into their system.
All they need now is a carrier...Enter Tmo! For Big G to purchase (or be interested in) Tmo is not as far-fetched as it once seemed.
Who would have thought that they would have bought Moto? No one...be honest. Anything is possible, it seems
Last edited by NowVoyager; November 29th, 2011 at 07:49 PM.
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The way I see it, Google is smart...slow and strategic. I've been watching their telecom moves for awhile. They first got into Wifi they tried to use San Francisco as a test city for free Wifi but the Supervisors dragged their feet and the offer was pulled. They give the free Wifi to the city of Mountain View. Is this just out of the kindness of their hearts? Don't bet on it!
Next, Android and the Nexus One are introduced and go large. Then, they acquire Google Voice (Something or other Central wasn't it?) from its former parent. They tied it into Gmail, all of which applications make it a beast...which neatly ties into Android...which is now heavy with Google Apps. Sweet!
ATT was never an Android house. They were a Windows and Apple house. If they had gotten Tmo, it could have been a dark day for Android, let alone the end of competitive pricing for consumers.
Google buys Motorola Mobile - American handset manufacturer. Interesting turn of events! So let's see: They have a handset. They have an OS. They have apps. They have distribution via the market. They have a handset maker. They have Wifi. They have VoIP. They have a boatload of consumers already tied into their system.
All they need now is a carrier...Enter Tmo! For Big G to purchase (or be interested in) Tmo is not as far-fetched as it once seemed.
Who would have thought that they would have bought Moto? No one...be honest. Anything is possible, it seems
But even Google has said the purchase of moto was for patents. I can't think of any reason they would be willing to risk purchasing the smallest of the big 4 phone companies. Yes it is possible but if Google doesn't benefit from it why would they purchase it?
Clearly, they deal more with Sprint and have their claws into Sprint more so than T-Mo. And from a fiscal perspective, I think it makes more sense to go with Sprint. VZW and AT&T are big dogs and don't want Google bossing them around (Apple is probably bad enough). Sprint needs help, but are holding their own. T-Mo is a disaster. Every other carrier is actually just a sub contractor of the larger ones.
But yes, if it wasn't for the GSM vs CDMA issue, I would have hoped for a T-Mo / Sprint merger. Hell, even AT&T just really wanted them for their extra towers. T-Mo customers would have been screwed once AT&T shut down the second band that T-Mo uses for 3G so they could continue with their LTE upgrades. At least until they bought a 'proper' AT&T device.
Google may have *said* that they bought Moto for patents. But, let's face it. They've got Nexus and I for one will not be surprised to see that it comes back home to Papa where they can have direct input over it from chip to chirp. The patents are the icing on the cake. (Side note: They can't have been happy with the current incarnation after the Nexus One!).
It wasn't that long ago that Sprint was on the ropes and ripe for a takeover themselves. I don't see them as any more attractive than Tmo, now that it is available. And Tmo has something that few others have: All those LOVELY Towers and 4G!!! I also find it interesting that the FCC has mentioned including a clause that makes it impossible for ATT to come back at a later time with another bid...meaning: They're gone for good!
Seriously, I would *much* prefer Sprint than ATT, that's for sure! But I'm hoping that Google will surprise us and put in a bid. I think it would be grand! Bring everything under one roof - secure the brand. They have invested too much to leave it to chance - Look what's happening to Blackberry. What happened to Palm. Nokia. Symbian. They're going to give Android a better cushion. And as far as what they say to the Press - I don't watch what people say, I watch what they DO. With all of these power moves, Google is posturing for something...the question is - What?
Last edited by NowVoyager; November 30th, 2011 at 12:05 AM.
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Google isn't going to show special treatment for Motorola because it wants Android to thrive. If they start showing they will do special things for Motorola then it will create doubts in the heads of other manufacturers about is Android something they want to deal with and rely upon or should they start looking at other options available. Eric Schmidt has confirmed this when meeting with both Samsung and LG. Google is too smart of a company to shoot itself in the foot by cutting off 3rd party support of it's OS. IIRC manufacturers must bid to get the nexus name, the winner gets the opportunity to release a device with the newest version of the OS, I also think Google has a chance to set the specs of the device and specific things they want (curved screen). If I am incorrect with that then I would think they are very happy with Samsung's products as Samsung has gotten the opportunity to release the last 2 Nexus devices.
Along these same lines I don't think Google will be trying to purchase a carrier currently because then they will be hard pressed to get the other carriers to sell their phones. After all why would VZW or AT&T want to sell a phone with an OS made by the owners of Sprint or Tmo?
Google has a commitment to Android, it makes money for them, they are not going to make a business decision that will have obvious negative effects on the future of Android. This is also part of the reason they have been buying patents left and right, so they can help protect the manufacturers that sell Android devices and as a result of that protect Android.
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The report seems to favor TMO innovations and practices which is why ATT didn't want the report out.
Saw a rumor where Amazon is thinking of a Kindle phone and would be a buyer for TMO. If I'm not mistaken, B&N resells an ATT service on the Nook, and I think Amazon does for the Kindle as well. Amazon is trying to release its own browser.
While I wouldn't care for it - a consortium of phone/tablet/book sellers with a network?
The report seems to favor TMO innovations and practices which is why ATT didn't want the report out.
Saw a rumor where Amazon is thinking of a Kindle phone and would be a buyer for TMO. If I'm not mistaken, B&N resells an ATT service on the Nook, and I think Amazon does for the Kindle as well. Amazon is trying to release its own browser.
While I wouldn't care for it - a consortium of phone/tablet/book sellers with a network?
Ive read about Amazons interests too, in jumping into the cellular arena... I can see acquiring some sort of partnership with Tmo as a "jumpstart" with rebranding devices rather than starting amazon cellular devices from scratch... But who knows, AT&T may have more cards up the sleeve and pull this deal through dependingon DOJ results.
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1. T-Mo is financially just fine whatever happens. Nowhere near going broke. Sprint is hurting, but in better shape than they were a couple of years ago.
2. Sprint + T-Mo is iffy but not because of differing technologies. If combined they would go transition everything to LTE anyway.
3. AT&T wants T-Mo for more than towers. Really - $39 billion for towers? No, it's about spectrum and millions of customers on a (mostly) compatible network.
4. Google has bid for wireless spectrum at auction before. They are getting into ultrawideband fiber internet to homes and businesses. They have GV, Google+ etc etc. Obviously they would have a strong interest in a wireless provider at the right price.
5. Google bought Motorola for more than just patents. That doesn't mean they're stupid enough to give other manufacturers worries about preferential treatment of Android. They'll make sure not to hurt Android, the biggest thing for Google since search.
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I like my services and coverage with AT&T and hope they continue moving forward on their own merits, rolling out LTE and updating coverage areas to better reception where once spotty.
They got called out on fluffing their own stories that they "needed" tmo in order to accomplish a better network, while all thie time, sitting on a large spectrum they are now tapping into and utilizing.
I am glad to see that FCC and DOJ, however, has listened to consumer concerns and weighed their actions on challenging AT&T to prove the statements and exhibit proposals. Looks like att never responded
Last edited by Rico ANDROID; November 30th, 2011 at 11:56 AM.
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I don't mind being a lone ranger in what I believe, lol. Folks said I was crazy to believe that the merger/takeover would not happen. It was supposedly a "done deal." Commercials and ads were running about the merger, etc. And yet...
In the beginning, it was foolish to believe that Google, a Search Engine company wanted to be in telecom. But we saw them making moves. I'm simply saying that I'm watching their moves...not what people are reporting. There are more shakeups coming, to be sure. Things are lining up at a furious pace. But no matter the outcome,
I'm just so happy that ATT is out of the Tmo deal that the rest is gravy!!!
Note: We know that DT is not broke, they have simply made it clear that they want to be rid of Tmo USA.
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I don't mind being a lone ranger in what I believe, lol. Folks said I was crazy to believe that the merger/takeover would not happen. It was supposedly a "done deal." Commercials and ads were running about the merger, etc. And yet...
In the beginning, it was foolish to believe that Google, a Search Engine company wanted to be in telecom. But we saw them making moves. I'm simply saying that I'm watching their moves...not what people are reporting. There are more shakeups coming, to be sure. Things are lining up at a furious pace. But no matter the outcome,
I'm just so happy that ATT is out of the Tmo deal that the rest is gravy!!!
Note: We know that DT is not broke, they have simply made it clear that they want to be rid of Tmo USA.
Happy Day! AT&T/Tmo Takeover DIW
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