Apple’s profits have soared since the advent of iPhone and iPad based devices but that profit has come at the expense of the very company’s that have helped Apple succeed, wireless carriers. While Apple creates each iOS based device for an estimated price of just $150 they sell those phones to carriers for $600.

To get customers interested wireless carriers then turn around and sell iPhones back to customers for as little as $199 with a two year contract.

The school of thought has always been that the customers 2-year contract combined with required data plans for smartphones will lead to a return on investment, yet AT&T and Verizon stock has dropped and Sprint has recorded 40% losses since it started selling the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S.

One analyst tells the Los Angeles Times:

“The AT&T wireless model is broken. AT&T is basically subsidizing Apple’s revenues and profit growth.”

The system is broken because in order to compete many cellular carriers have had to offer “early upgrades” to keep customers. This essentially means that after one year a customer on a two year contract with an already subsidized phone is given a discount to buy another phone and up their contract for two years again.

There does appear to be one bright point for carriers, Google Android phones continue to increase in popularity and are often slightly cheaper to obtain.

One Verizon employee quips of the choice in smartphones:

“It depends what you like. Do you like the Androids’ faster download times, bigger screens, longer battery life and better cameras? Or do you like Apple?”

Do you think carriers put themselves in the position their in now by bowing down to Apple and the iOS system?

Apple iPhone Sales Hurting Wireless Carrier Profits is a post from: The Inquisitr

Samsung, maker of all things electronic, will have their latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Note, available on AT&T starting February 19th. The smartphone is an extension of their Galaxy line of smartphones that continue to be very popular among the Android crowd.

The company has had great success with Android and this phone is a bit different from the others. No, it doesn’t have any special features aside from the others. The big difference? A bigger battery to support the bigger screen.

Just how big of a screen are we talking? Oh, just 5.3 inches, a full inch bigger than the largest smartphones currently on the market. They wanted something that was more in between a phone and a tablet. Consumers can use the phone with a stylus and looks to be extra special for artists, though anyone who wants a great viewing experience when surfing the web or watching videos.

Being that it’s so large, some people will definitely want to check it out at an AT&T store first before purchasing. For someone who has big hands, it will fit great but for someone who has smaller hands, it may actually be too big. And yes, it will still fit in a pocket, but is definitely pushing it.

What are the specs?

• 5.3 inch WXGA HD Super AMOLED screen
• 1280×800 resolution (best of any smartphone)
• 1.4GHZ dual core processor
• 1GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, MicroSD card slot for more storage
• 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p video support
• 2 megapixel front-facing camera
• 2,500 mAh battery
• 4G LTE
• Android 2.3 Gingerbread

Pre-orders start February 17th and will be available for $299.99 on a two year contract.

Would you buy the Samsung Galaxy Note if you were in the market for a new phone and on AT&T?

Samsung Galaxy Note Coming To AT&T February 19th is a post from: The Inquisitr

AT&T, one of the largest wireless carriers in the United States, saw an incredible loss of $6.7 Billion in the fourth quarter. Their fail to acquire T-Mobile which resulted in a substantial fee and pension costs, are the biggest contributors to the loss.

The company recently raised data plan prices which, overall, have been received fairly well. While increasing prices, they did however give customers more data which is a good thing. Otherwise, it could have been a different story. Then again, when you’re locked down for two years and face some pretty hefty fees if you break the contract, there’s not a whole lot one can do about it.

Although the carrier lost a substantial amount of money in the fourth quarter, they sold a lot of smartphones, in fact, a record number. Sales of smartphones were up 60% compared to the previous year at just over 9 Million (9.4 Million to be exact) sold. That’s a lot of contracts.

Via Informationweek:

“With 9.4 million smartphones sold, AT&T says 56.8% of its 69.3 million postpaid subscribers have smartphones, up from 42.7% a year earlier and 32.8% two years ago. (Verizon’s smartphone penetration is 44.5% of its post-paid customers.) Smartphones represented more than 80% of postpaid device sales for the quarter.”

“Of the 9.4 million smartphones sold, 7.6 million were iPhones–the majority of which were the iPhone 4S. AT&T also said that it sold twice as many Android smartphones in the fourth quarter of 2011 as it did in the year-ago quarter. AT&T didn’t provide a breakdown on exactly how many Android, Windows Phone 7, nor BlackBerry smartphones it sold, but the total of all three is 1.7 million.”

What’s your opinion of AT&T and their service?

AT&T Saw Incredible $6.7 Billion Loss In Fourth Quarter is a post from: The Inquisitr

Forget that 3G version of the Samsung Galaxy Note that has already passed through the FCC for approval because the AT&T version has also arrived and it features 4G data capabilities via LTE technology.

According to the filing the device, filed under SGH-i717brings with it GSM/Edge capabilities along with UMTS/HSPA+ (21Mbps) and the superior LTE bands 4 and 7.

The FCC have already approved the device following final emissions testing.

The Samsung Galaxy Note has been a much-talked about device recently thanks to the devices ability to make calls while still featuring a “mini-tablet” type setup with a 5.3-inch Super AMOLED display that offers 1280×800 resolution output.

Powering the 3G version of the device to date has been the Google Android “Gingerbread” OS version along with a 1.4GHz dual-core processor which may be pushed to 1.5GHz for the LTE version.

AT&T Wireless has not yet provided a release date or pricing for the LTE version of the devices however the 3G Galaxy Note has been confirmed for a mid-February launch in Canada.

The original international version of the Galaxy Note has already seen more than one million shipments to retailers.

Are you willing to wait for the LTE version of the Samsung Galaxy Note to arrive on store shelves or will the3G version suffice?

FCC Receives Samsung Galaxy Note For AT&T Approval, Sports 4G Connectivity is a post from: The Inquisitr

Earlier this month, Sony finally got around to revealing the pricing plan for the PlayStation Vita 3G, which is exclusively carried by AT&T. It was said that there would be two options: a $14.99 plan with a 250MB cap per month, and a $25 plan with 2GB per month.

Well, those plans have already changed, and the PlayStation Vita isn’t even out of the door yet. Joystiq spotted the PS Vita AT&T listing, and it has a slight change. The $14.99 plan for 250MB per month is still there, but they’ve replaced the $25 for 2GB plan with $30 for 3GB.

The change isn’t at all significant, and it actually comes off looking like a relatively good deal. Still, I have to wonder how many people are willing to invest an extra $50 for the 3G version, when they could just go for the standard WiFi model. That said, the PS Vita 3G plan with AT&T is a month-to-month affair, so you won’t have to worry about any contracts and what have you, so it has that going for it.

Do you plan on picking up the 3G PlayStation Vita model, or are you going with the WiFI version?

Source: Sony/AT&T (via Joystiq)

PlayStation Vita 3G plan adjusted slightly is a post from: The Inquisitr

Most wireless customers in the US have been used to raising data prices and have said goodbye to unlimited data from most carriers. AT&T has announced that they will be increasing data plan prices for smartphone and tablet customers.

From the press release:

“AT&T today announced new data plans for smartphone and tablet customers that will launch this Sunday, January 22. The plans give customers more data and value.”

The new smartphone plans include:

• AT&T Data Plus 300MB: $20 for 300MB
• AT&T Data Pro 3GB: $30 for 3GB
• AT&T Data Pro 5GB: $50 for 5GB, with mobile hotspot / tethering

“Smartphone customers needing additional data can pay $10 per additional gigabyte on the AT&T Data Pro 3GB and Data Pro 5GB plans; AT&T Data Plus users will receive an extra 300MB for $20.”

The new tablet plans* include:

• AT&T DataConnect 3GB: $30 for 3GB
• AT&T DataConnect 5GB: $50 for 5GB

“Existing smartphone and tablet customers will have the choice of keeping their current plans or choosing one of these new plans, and the current $14.99 for 250MB plan for tablet customers will remain available.”

While the company is raising data plan prices, they are also upping the monthly data limits so at least there’s some positive to it. If you’re fortunate to have been grandfathered in with the $30/month unlimited data plan, there is one downside however.

If you fall within the top 5% of unlimited customers, your data is throttled. Most carriers already throttle so it’s no surprise really. Sprint is one of the largest carriers that still offers unlimited data to smartphone users in the US.

Are AT&T’s prices fair or should they give people more data for the price?

AT&T Raises Prices For Data Plans is a post from: The Inquisitr

While there were cheers and high-fives all over the tech world when AT&T announced that they were pulling out of the T-Mobile deal it didn’t stop AT&T needing to find a solution to a major problem facing the company – wireless spectrum.

You see AT&T needs wireless spectrum, or at least they say they do, very badly and that problem got even more complicated due to Verizon doing some smart deals with cable networks to pick up their unused wireless spectrum; which has reduced the pool of spectrum available to AT&T by a large degree.

Well it seems that Bloomberg is floating a report that a possible solution to AT&T’s problem would be to acquire the Dish Network who own a crapload of wireless spectrum and even at a premium AT&T could pick up the company for a reasonable price.

With Dish Network shares trading at $29 Bloomberg suggests that AT&T could easily pay as much as $50 per share for a 77% premium.

AS far as Dish is concerned they have no real problem with being acquired as noted by company CEO Joe Clayton recently

Dish is open to a potential acquisition once it builds out its wireless telephone and entertainment businesses, the Englewood, Colorado-based company’s CEO Clayton said last week.

“We’re open to all possible options,” Clayton said in a Jan. 11 interview on Bloomberg Television’s “Bloomberg West,” responding to a question on future merger possibilities. “We could be acquired or we could be the acquirer.”

via Bloomberg

Chances are that this type of deal would probably have an easier time with regulators considering that Dish Networks doesn’t currently have any cellphone service which was the major stumbling block for the T-Mobile deal.

via VentureBeat

With the T-Mobile failure could AT&T go after Dish Network? is a post from: The Inquisitr

AT&T announced today that they’ve launched 4G LTE in 11 new markets which brings it up to a total of 26 different markets where customers can experience the lightning fast speed that is 4G LTE.

What are the 11 new markets? The New York City metro area, Phoenix, Raleigh, Oakland, San Francisco, Austin, Orlando, Los Angeles, San Diego, Chapel Hill, and San Jose. AT&T says the launch benefits some 74 Million customers, that is of course if they have a 4G LTE phone. If they don’t, well, cough up the dough.

For customers who step out of a 4G LTE area, not to worry. They’ve got you covered:

“There’s also HSPA+ roll-back, for times when you step out of LTE coverage, though you’ll obviously see a reduction in speed too. AT&T already operated its LTE network in Athens, Ga.; Atlanta; Baltimore; Boston; Charlotte; Chicago; Dallas-Fort Worth; Houston; Indianapolis; Kansas City; Las Vegas; Oklahoma City; San Antonio; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Washington, D.C.”

The company also hopes to have their rollout of 4G LTE mostly complete by the end of 2013. With bigger and badder smartphones and increased need and usage for mobile data, people also demand faster speeds. One question that’s raised however is, what is Sprint going to do? Will they stick to WiMax or convert to faster and more popular 4G standards?

Either way, over the next several years, we’ll see far less barriers when it comes to fast mobile coverage. Who knows…maybe you’ll be out in the boonies one day and find yourself downloading email attachments at a faster speed than what you get at home.

AT&T Launches 4G LTE In 11 New Markets is a post from: The Inquisitr

When the Nokia Ace Smartphone with Windows Phone 7 capabilities rolls out at AT&T in March the wireless carrier will be giving the phone “top-tier” treatment.

Also known as “hero-level” treatment the device will receive direct AT&T advertising, better placement online and in retail stores and better training for employees who can then push the Nokia Ace onto their customers.

Nokia for a while now has been known as Microsoft’s main Windows Phone 7 manufacturing partner because of their willingness to ditch Symbian OS and make the change to the Microsoft led product.

To support the new phone an expected $100 million will be spent although it’s still unclear how much of that marketing will come from AT&T as opposed to Microsoft and Nokia.

That same source told BetaNews that a follow-up to the Nokia Ace could arrive before the end of 2012 if the first iteration is a success.

The push is not only important for Nokia but also for Microsoft, the company’s Windows Phone 7 operating system currently holds just a 1.5 percent share worldwide and less than 6 percent on Microsoft’s own home turf in the United States.

Windows Phone 7 and Nokia have not been helped along by HTC, LG, and Samsung who all prefer to develop and marketing the Google Android mobile OS.

Do you believe that the Nokia Ace can be the stepping stone Microsoft ultimately needs as they continue their push back into the mobile Smartphone market?

Nokia Ace To Receive Special Top-Tier Treatment At AT&T is a post from: The Inquisitr

As promised the Federal Communications Commission quickly reexamined AT&T’s purchase of Qualcomm wireless spectrum after the company abandoned their $39 billion takeover bid of T-Mobile USA following pressure from the agency and other governmental officials.

Qualcomm had purchased its 700MHz frequencies for the short-lived Flo TV service and AT&T Wireless will need to guarantee against interference while allowing other cellular networks to roam on the spectrum once it’s put into place.

Once completed the deal would take effect at the end of 2011 and would provide Qualcomm with $1.9 billion in cash.

The FCC had hinted at a Qualcomm spectrum approval if AT&T Wireless withdrew their T-Mobile acquisition. AT&T executives had long maintained that the T-Mobile USA buyout was necessary because they required more wireless spectrum to increase their mobile data network capabilities.

The deal has still raised concerns from AT&T’s competitors including Verizon and Sprint Wireless who say AT&T has not had to make any concessions which would require their spectrum to be compatible with CDMA providers. While phones could still be made to interoperate it would be up to the company’s competitors to ensure that was the case. AT&T could technically offer customers devices that would not work should they choose to switch to a new carrier.

The FCC could redeem themselves in the eyes of carriers in early 2012 when they will rule on whether or not LET networks need to be compatible with one another.

AT&T however isn’t the only wireless provider to pick up new wireless spectrum space, in early December Verizon Wireless announced a new agreement with several cable operators that would provide North America’s largest wireless carrier with new spectrum, a deal worth $3.6 billion.

Do you believe AT&T Wireless should be able allowed to purchase the Qualcomm mobile spectrum without any major anti-competitive clauses put into place?

FCC Gives AT&T Wireless Go Ahead To Purchase Qualcomm Spectrum is a post from: The Inquisitr

Last month, the FCC found that AT&T’s proposed merger with T-Mobile it would result in stifled competition and potentially kill hundreds of jobs”, and it would ultimately be harmful to consumers.

Following the FCC’s move to block the merger, AT&T and T-Mobile formally withdrew their application to the FCC last month, but AT&T isn’t quite ready to give up just yet. They’re now taking the case to the Department of Justice, but it hasn’t gotten off to a particularly well start.

U.S. District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle in Washington recently scheduled a hearing on December 15 to determine whether or not to grant a stay on AT&T’s antitrust trial with the Department of Justice, or dismiss it entirely. Needles to say, neither option is great news for AT&T.

“We don’t have any confidence that we are spending all this time and effort and the taxpayers’ money and that we’re not being spun,” Huvelle said. “The landscape has changed,” she said, questioning whether or not the deal would even be able to be carried out before the contractual deadline.

Despite the latest setback, AT&T’s lawyers are holding their ground, demanding that they get their “day in court.” AT&T lawyers insist that if they’re able to win over the Department of Justice, there’s a chance that the FCC will allow the merger to continue.

Source: Bloomberg

[Image]

AT&T, T-Mobile Merger: Judge considering shutting down antitrust trial is a post from: The Inquisitr

AT&T and T-Mobile’s proposed merger hit another potential snag today as FCC chairman Julius Genachowski moved to block the merger, calling for the decision to be taken before an administrative law judge.

Chairman Genachowski made the move after the commission decided that should AT&T and T-Mobile be allowed to merge, it would result in stifled competition and potentially kill hundreds of jobs, harming consumers.

Should Genachowski get his way, AT&T will be taken to a trial-like hearing to prove to the FCC that the merger would be in the best interest of consumers. In order for Genachowski’s draft order to go into effect, however, FCC members will have to agree to either sign off on the order, amend it or deny it entirely. There’s currently no timeline on when a decision is expected.

AT&T’s senior vice president for corporate communications, Larry Solomon, condemned Genachowski’s move in a statement, saying:

“It is yet another example of a government agency acting to prevent billions in new investment and the creation of many thousands of new jobs at a time when the U.S. economy desperately needs both,” Solomon said in a statement. “At this time, we are reviewing all options.”

[Image credit: Wired]

FCC finds AT&T, T-Mobile merger harmful to consumers, chairman calls for trial is a post from: The Inquisitr

Good news and bad news, AT&T customers. First, the bad: AT&T informed users today of an “organized and systematic” attempt to collect account information from AT&T customers. The good: AT&T managed to notice the attempts in time to shut it down.

“We recently detected an organized and systematic attempt to obtain information on a number of AT&T customer accounts, including yours,” AT&T said in an e-mail to customers. “We do not believe that the perpetrators of this attack obtained access to your online account or any of the information contained in that account.”

In an email to Bloomberg, AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel said that the hackers used “auto scripts” in an attempt to find links between AT&T telephone numbers and online accounts. Siegel went on to say that only about 1% of the company’s customers were targeted in the attack.

Siegel went on to stress that, as far as AT&T is able to tell, no account data was compromised. “No accounts were breached and our investigation is ongoing to determine the source or intent of the attempt to gather this information,” he said.

Source: Bloomberg

[Image]

AT&T informs users of “organized” hacking attempt is a post from: The Inquisitr

U.S. District Judge Ellen Huvelle denied a Sprint Nextel request on Monday that would have given the company access to heaps of AT&T internal documents so they could prove that the company’s $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile was anti-competitive.

Huvelle dismissed the case but did not offer an immediate ruling. Huvelle who is also hearing the U.S. Justice Department’s lawsuit and a private antitrust suit regarding the matter released the following statement:

“You don’t stand in the shoes of the consumer or the Department of Justice.”

In their suit filed in September Sprint argued that the combination of AT&T and T-Mobile would stop their own ability to obtain the latest handsets and reach roaming agreements while gaining access to the market for backhaul and other essential services.

Sprint was asking for the same documents AT&T handed over to the Justice Department’s antitrust division so they could build their own case.

In the meantime AT&T has asked Huvelle to dismiss the Sprint lawsuit although the judge has not said when that hearing for dismissal will occur. Typically anti-trust lawsuits are brought by consumers and regulatory commissions, the filing by Sprint was unusual.

If the merger moves forward AT&T would vault pass Verizon Wireless as the nation’s biggest wireless carrier. If the deal fails AT&T will be forced to pay T-Mobile $6 billion in spectrum space and cash for their troubles.

In the meantime AT&T Wireless executives have said they are willing to work with the Justice Department to reach an agreement all sides could live with.

Do you think an AT&T and T-Mobile merger would be bad for the overall cellular marketplace?

Judge Denies Sprint Nextel Request To View AT&T Documents is a post from: The Inquisitr

AT&T has recently claimed that a merger with T-Mobile would create upwards of 96,000 jobs, a statement that FCC Wireless Bureau leader Rick Kaplan casts doubts about.

According to Kaplan AT&T officials have done “almost nothing in response” to calls for proof regarding their jobs claim. In terms of what AT&T has promised they would only create 5,000 low-level call center jobs by returning them from offshore call centers to the United States.

A study by several advocacy groups with the endorsement of Sprint Wireless recently pointed out that almost all mergers have resulted in job cuts as company’s look to eliminate overlapping jobs while attempting to earn back the money they spent to make the merger a reality. In fact AT&T called for “synergies” when announcing the merger, a term that typically means cost-cutting measures will be taken, often in the form of job loss.

In the meantime the Department of Justice has sued AT&T to block the merger, arguing that it is anti-competitive while the FCC may also follow suit and reject the merger.

As Electronista points out:

“AT&T may have sabotaged its own case after an unintentionally unredacted FCC filing revealed an internal estimate that it only needs $3.8 billion to reach its 95 to 97 percent LTE coverage claims, not $39 billion and eliminating a major competitor.”

I can’t possible understand how eliminating one of the four largest wireless company’s in American can be good for customers. Do you believe the AT&T/T-Mobile merger is anti-competitive and bad for the cellular industry in general?

FCC Doesn’t Buy AT&T Claim That T-Mobile Merger Will Create Jobs is a post from: The Inquisitr

Mobile and wireless behemoth AT&T has urged the federal court in Washington to dismiss lawsuits brought against it by rivals Sprint Nextel and Cellular South. Both firms are arguing AT&T’s proposed USD39 billion purchase of T-Mobile from Germany’s Deutsche Telekom would be anti-competitive.

AT&T, which is also facing a civil antitrust lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice, is claiming its competitors have failed to demonstrate that the T-Mobile deal will hurt competition or negatively affect access to networks needed to serve their customers.

Here’s part of the latest cuddly AT&T filing:

“What is good for consumers is bad for Sprint, and that is why Sprint has filed suit. Sprint does not purchase roaming services from either AT&T or T-Mobile – its network is technologically incompatible. The transaction will therefore have no impact on Sprint’s ability to obtain roaming prices. The immediate impact of any supposed reduction in demand for special access as a result of the merger would be to reduce the prices that Sprint pays for special access, not to increase them. That reduction in prices would benefit Sprint and would not constitute antitrust injury.”

AT&T’s filing also laid into Cellular South, stating:

“Cellular South suggested that it would not oppose the merger if AT&T would agree not to engage in facilities-based competition in Mississippi. This inappropriate proposal confirms that what Cellular South fears is competition, not lack of competition.”

Which, if you ask most right-minded people, is hogwash. Back in August, when the DoJ launched its civil antitrust lawsuit, deputy attorney general James M Cole warned the merger would mean consumers “faced higher prices, fewer choices and lower quality products,” for mobile wireless services.

Cole basically has the entire history of mergers to back up his case. Seven U.S. states and Puerto Rico seem to agree – all have backed the DoJ’s case.

AT&T Requests Dismissal of Sprint and Cellular South Lawsuits is a post from: The Inquisitr

Google officials on Tuesday asked the U.S. judge overseeing the government’s lawsuit to stop the AT&T/T-Mobile merger to protect their confidential internal data in the case.

Google officials are worried that their “competitively sensitive” data related to internal products and launch plans could be exposed as information pertaining to AT&T and T-Mobile is released.

Google made their request in Washington, asking U.S. District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle to have the parties provide advanced notice to the company for any disclosures in court or to experts.

According to Google’s lawsuit intervention notice:

“Without such additional protection, Google and other non- parties could find their confidential information — such as Google’s business plans related to Android — in the hands of competitors (or their competitors’ consultants), or even in newspapers, without having had prior notice of its disclosure.”

The lawsuit has been active since August 31 when the U.S. Justice Department sued AT&T and T-Mobile owners Deutsche Telekom AG (DTE). Officials say the two company’s would “substantially” reduce competition and seven states joined the lawsuit while agreeing that the merger would be anti-competitive in nature.

AT&T and T-Mobile have not commented about Google’s part in the lawsuit which doesn’t target their relationship and only asks for care in dealing with sensitive information.

Google Asks Judge In AT&T Merger Lawsuit To Protect “Sensitive Data” is a post from: The Inquisitr

AT&T Wireless may claim to cover 97 percent of all Americans but they aren’t touting that coverage too much this weekend while launching LTE capabilities in just 5 markets, five times less coverage than the recently launched Verizon Wireless 4G LTE offering.

Ma Bell announced over the weekend that they have launched LTE towers in Chicago, Atlanta, San Antonio, Dallas / Fort Worth and Houston

In response to their launch AT&T officials have provided a coverage map (shown above) and have promised to expand 4G LTE technology to 15 other major metropolitan markets before the end of 2011.

AT&T has been quick to point out that the markets are covered by LTE technology and not HSPA+ which is slower than their new offering.

Notice the amount of AT&T area on the map that is only covered by lousy Edge data technology, AT&T can call their coverage area whatever they want but the truth of the matter is they are quickly losing an increasing amount of ground to Verizon in the battle of network technology.

If you happen to be in one of the LTE 4G markets let us know what you think about the new 4G offering. Just remember only LTE supported devices will witness increased data rates.

AT&T Wireless Launches LTE In Five Markets [YAWN] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Typically when businesses move to acquire another company it is pretty smooth sailing, even if the deal has to be approved by various US agencies. Even when IBM sold off its laptop business to the Chinese company Lenovo there wasn’t much more than a cursory overview from those government agencies responsible for watchdogging this type of  deal.

So it is no surprise that AT&T figured that their move to acquire competitor T-Mobile would just slide through regardless of the uproar that came from those pesky consumer groups.

Well, hell has frozen over folks because in a surprise move the Department of Justice is suing to block the acquisition of T-Mobile by AT&T using the most obvious,and probably very truthful argument that this deal would “substantially lessen competition” in the wireless market.

This lawsuit has apparently come as a total surprise to AT&T who thought everything was all hunky-dory after several meetings with the DoJ. According to Bloomberg

“We have met repeatedly with the Department of Justice and there was no indication from the DOJ that this action was being contemplated,” Wayne Watts, AT&T’s general counsel, said in a statement. He said the company intends to fight the litigation.

This lawsuit could be one of the most costly ones that AT&T has been involved in because if the acquisition is successfully blocked it would mean that AT&T would have to pay T-Mobile a $3 Billion cancellation fee so it is no surprise that AT&T moved quickly to counter the announcement of the lawsuit by the Department of Justice by saying that they will fight this all the way.

As noted by Stacey Higginbotham at GigaOM the reasons the DoJ stepped in like this are inconsistant with past cases .

A quick read of the complaint shows that the DOJ looked at the merger not at a local level as has historically been the case in wireless merger agreements, but with an eye toward how this affects wireless coverage across the nation. Significantly, it realized the value of mobile data and competition in nationwide mobile broadband access as a reason that this deal would be harmful.

I don’t know about you but I’m going down to the grocery store and stock up on popcorn because this whole thing just started to get interesting.

Finally someone with balls is fighting the AT&T acquisition of T-Mobile. Surprise, it’s the DoJ. is a post from: The Inquisitr

For many on the East Coast, Hurricane Irene blew through and did very little damage save for fallen branches and intermittent loss of power.

Others experienced extensive flooding and many areas remain in the dark due to storm damage. Hurricane Irene was an interesting exercise in the impact of storms on modern communications, however, because in the past, reaching out after a loss of electricity or when inundated by floodwaters was far more challenging than it is today- as demonstrated by the use of social networks throughout the event.

Luckily for people in storm ravaged areas, cell phone service stayed mostly consistent while the storm either raged or weakened, depending on the region. More than 130,000 residents in Virginia and South Carolina were affected by disruptions to landline service, but cell phone service providers reported fewer sweeping outages as damaged towers were supported by backup service.

The New York Times spoke to service spokespersons for wireless networks, who confirmed intermittent outages in affected areas, but say that the paradigm surrounding the use of landlines versus cell phones during disasters has begun to shift:

But the evolution of the landline — which first saw cordless phones (that do not work in blackouts) and Internet-based telephony (which requires a battery backup in case of blackouts) — has led to a decrease in its reliability. That hole has been filled, to some degree, by wireless voice and data networks.

Nationwide, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said no outages of 911 service were reported in any of the areas affected by Hurricane Irene, and that no centers were without service during the potential disaster. A spokesman for AT&T confirmed remaining cell phone service disruptions in some areas, and said crews are working to assess the damage and determine when damaged equipment can safely be restored.

Cell Phone Service Stayed Mostly Steady During Irene, Landlines Affected is a post from: The Inquisitr