'AT&T&T-Mobile' GSM AntiTrust Merger Trial Set for Feb 2012

justice Department officials say they've filed suit to block AT&T's $39 billion deal to buy T-Mobile USA and assigned a February 13 start date for a nonjury trial to decide whether AT&T's proposed merger with T-Mobile, which would make AT&T the largest nationwide carrier, would violate antitrust laws.

DOJ reasons that such a behemoth of a company would "substantially lessen competition" in the industry, therefore violating U.S. antitrust laws.

Read more: news.cnet.com...

what do you guys think? are you for or against the merger? i thought of this today because of the ATT network being down, what, 10,000 customers affected?

well, if the merger goes thru, then AT&T&T will be the only GSM network in USA! so everyone that already has GSM phones wont have any choice at all what company to use their GSM devices on (other than their resellers using their towers ie simplemobile that are still going to be on the AT&T&T monopoly over GSM towers).

in contrast, for CDMA phones, there are 2 large competing networks that aren't merging anytime soon: Sprint vs Verizon (and the resellers using their towers ie boost, virgin, cricket, usc)

so i would hope DOJ finds that to merge all GSM technology towers & GSM equipment consumers already own, across USA under one umbrella monopoly (AT&T&Tmobile) would be in violation of antitrust laws indeed.

well..what do you guys think? are you for or against the merger?

All I know is that...

AT&T is evil and way behind the times...
The technology that their employees use is very very laughable...

I worked for them...