Tell us YOUR thoughts on the AT&T and T-Mobile Merger

[Laos101]

Hey Geeks!

We just pulled up some paperwork for the FCC with regards to consumer opinion and thoughts.

As opposed to making ALL of you post individual consumer complaints and concerns or thoughts on the upcoming merger between AT&T and T-Mobile, the easier thing is we have you share your thoughts here and we will file a big paper detailing everyone's thoughts.

If you want to vent, share your concern, or pose some sort of important thought in regards to the merger - and you want the FCC to get it - post your name and your comment in this thread and we'll file them in the FCC Docket.

Thanks!

[gTen]

What AT&T is trying to do is use spectrum as an excuse for the merger, while I can see that this will be a huge benefit for ATT and T-mobile, at the same time its horrible for the consumer market. And at the moment the FCC has no good plan to deal with the spectrum issue.

So the best suggestion is this, FORCE all the carriers to open up their spectrum and create a large spectrum pool..then decide on 1 tech that will be used in that pool such as LTE for example..I don't see any reason why companies need to fight over spectrum in the same locations, we don't need 3 carriers doing GSM, 2 carriers doing IDEN, 2 carriers doing wimax, 4 carriers doing CDMA, 5 carriers doing LTE all in the same city...the spectrum just lies there unused...

Kinda like in NYC where verizon owns all the telephone lines and the others just piggy back on Verizon's lines since it would be hectic if everyone owned their own lines due to lack of space.

Now if all carriers pool their spectrum together it would be a win for carriers and a win for consumers. This also would help a lot in safety situations. I mean when your in a life or death situation, do you want to worry whether or not you picked Verizon, ATT or Sprint because the location you happen to be in has a bad signal?

As things stand the United States will NEVER achieve 100% cellphone coverage and will always have spectrum limitations. If spectrum is shared among all carriers, they won't have to make 20 towers doing the exact same thing..this will cut down overall maintenance costs and allow them to place towers more efficiently to have perfect signal everywhere and eliminate dead spots.

There are things that need to be addressed though, in doing this some motivation has to be given for the carriers to build out in places with little population, though considering the size of 4g towers in comparison to old 3g towers it should not be too much problem if they split costs with local communities. And the biggest problem would be figuring out a way to motivate carriers to look beyond 4g..aka if this plan is implemented there won't be too much motivation for carriers to upgrade their equipment just so that the others can benefit of it. So some sort of policy needs to be set out to motivate them to upgrade their networks.

Otherwise this is a win/win situation and will also allow smaller carriers to compete and enter the markets. Solve most of the carriers spectrum/bandwidth issues and a HUGE win for the consumers.

Of course the carriers would not like this because it weakens their hold on the very noncompetitive market but this must be done if we wish to catch up to other countries technologically, cause so far we are falling behind more and more..

[Azrial]

I say that it will never be approved, nor should it be! This is moving in just the opposite direction of the split of the the old AT&T Wireline conglomerate that spawned the Baby Bells and the resultant much cheaper long distant for everyone. I remember when wireline long distance was over a $1 a minute and they were the only game in town.

Or more recently, when we only had the choice of AMPs A or B!

Let this happen followed by a Sprint-Verizon merger and cellular competition will become a thing of the past.

[guruvince]

This merger will define the state of corruption our nation currently faces. Considering recent trends I believe the merger will be approved. At&t certainly has deep enough pockets. I would like to see Obama step in, or even just voice an opinion. I have faith that he can see how bad this would be for the consumer. My opinion is definately biased due to the fact that my credit was never good enough for At&t. The two times I applied for service with them, I was rejected. I believe it was a blessing in disguise, as Sprint service has allways worked well for me, and I definately cannot beat the price. Keep fighting the good fight Mr. Hesse.

-Vincent

[missionsparks]

Any time there is decease compatition, there is increased prices

[hypeo]

Consumers will get hit with higher fees for data on their plans. Currently the big red has surpassed all carriers in pricing. Competition is doing little to this company. Now ATT wants to gobble up another small competitive company to become #1 again and do away with competition in the GSM market. I thought we could not have monopolies in the united states.. (well; unless you were super rich... which they are)

[masetas]

The only one to benefit from this merger is ATT. The consumer is the one who is going to get hit with poor quality customer service, bad reception, and higher cell phone plans prices. If this merger goes through then it could lead to Verizon buying sprint and making it even worse for the consumer. There wouldn't be any new development in regards to better cell communications. Carriers would have the mindset of either take it or leave it cell phone plans and phones themselves. All the other countries will surpass us if they haven't already.

Masetas..

[burtonsnow8]

Everyone, if you want your comments sent to the FCC you must post your first name.

"The upcoming AT&T and T-mobile merger is a dangerous possibility for the cell phone market. Do the right thing for consumers, our economy and future cell tech by not approving this merger.

Chris"

[DavidinCT]

Nah, I think its great, Take T-mobile (that besides this will be sold at some point to some company), merge it with the other GSM carrier in the US, to a US company. This instead of being eaten up by a larger overseas company.

Also the fact that it will expand coverage a lot better for current AT&T and T-mobile customers. Verizon will not be the only big carrer with good coverage. This will make Verizon and AT&T be at the same level, so costs should compete here, one will lower it's price, the other will have to follow suit.

Remember T-mobile IS FOR SALE, Your just waiting for a wrecking ball to come in then part it out, or be controled by a out of the US comany.

After all, if all carriers have great nation wide coverage and they all have great phones, what else would make you decide on a carrer ? It would be about the costs.

Only ones who are really worried about this is Sprint(could be gobbled up by Vzw) or T-mobile customers (moved to AT&T plans)

I think it's a win, win for everyone in the long run.

[2 Bunny]

Bad idea. Even though most of us aren't GSM customers, it's still better in the long run if nobody has a monopoly of anything.

- 2 Bunny