AT&T could sell $8 billion in assets in bid to win merger approval

AT&T has hired Bank of America’s Merrill Lynch to recommend it on the sale of as much as $8 billion in assets in an effort to gain the government’s approval of its planned T-Mobile acquisition. According to The Wall Street Journal, AT&T will try to sell off its network assets in an attempt water down its market power, but most of the assets could actually be T-Mobile’s holdings. “As we said on the day we announced the merger with T-Mobile USA, we anticipate there will be some divestitures, as we have had in past mergers, but any speculation about the amount of divestitures is premature,” an AT&T spokesperson told The Journal. On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission pumped the brakes on the merger when it announced that it will roll in AT&T’s planned acquisition of Qualcomm’s FLOTV spectrum into its overall decision on the T-Mobile purchase. AT&T has said that the acquisition is on schedule for approval in March of next year.

BGR

BlackBerry Bold 9900 appears in leaked T-Mo docs, reveals August 29th release date and $300 price

If you’re an abiding RIM fan who’s itching for a new ‘Berry addiction, your next fix is soon at hand. After AT&T put its cards on the table — along with Sprint and US Cellular — an internal T-Mobile document now suggests the Bold 9900 will arrive at the Magenta-clad carrier on August 29th. Sadly, your patience (and loyalty) is going to cost you, because this touchscreen endeavor carries a $300 price tag, and like Ma Bell’s model, it features only 14.4Mbps HSDPA. Sure it’s steep, but that’s all the better for expensing to the corporate account, no?

TmoNews

via:engagdet

T-Mobile's You Fix gives budget-minded Brits a new approach to pay-as-you-go

If you’re a Londoner who’s struggling to live within your means, T-Mobile is hoping its latest You Fix plans are the solution to your budgetary woes. The Magenta-clad carrier’s UK arm promotes You Fix as the ultimate hybrid of pay monthly and pay-as-you-go. Customers sign a 12 month commitment to one of three plans that range between £15.50 ($25) and £26 ($42) per month, and the most expensive plan brings 300 minutes and texts. Once the allotment is met, consumers can top off their accounts based on T-Mobile’s traditional PAYG rates, or bide their time until the new month rolls around. Additionally, You Fix’ers may choose between one of seven free add-ons each month, including options to add data or unlimited texts. Subsidized phones are also on the menu, with the BlackBerry Curve 8520, HTC Wildfire S, and Samsung Galaxy Gio leading the pack. Looking to save a few quid?

Check the full schedule of plans in the PR beyond the break.

T-Mobile to extend direct carrier billing to more digital products and services

T-Mobile announced on Tuesday that it will expand its Direct Carrier Billing option to support more digital products. The service allows T-Mobile customers to make purchases directly from their web browsers and charge them to their monthly T-Mobile bills. Customers can purchase music, games, social networking credits and more from their phones, T-Mobile tablets, or any of their computers connected to a T-Mobile network. Direct Carrier Billing will be available later this month, and once it is active, customers will see the option from participating providers during checkout. There is no additional fee for Direct Carrier Billing and customers can opt-out by contacting T-Mobile support.

 

Read on for the full press release.

House Judiciary chairman Lamar Smith pledges support for AT&T, T-Mobile merger

House Judiciary Committee chairman Lamar Smith wrote a letter to FCC chairman Julius Genachowski and Eric Holder, the Attorney General of the United States, on Tuesday expressing his support of AT&T’s planned $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile. Smith said he believes the FCC and the Department of Justice have only heard “one side of the story” from members of congress who provided “limited information” during recent briefings. Smith also said that his committee has “heard evidence” that the merger will:

Substantially improve the quality of the capacity of its broadband network thereby creating jobs an spurring innovation; use existing spectrum more efficiently to overcome the current spectrum shortage; expand its LTE mobile broadband Internet service to 97% of America including much of rural America; and provide better service to its customers thereby giving its competitors an incentive to improve their service.

Smith said any evidence from the congressional hearings that omits the aforementioned points “paints an incomplete picture.” Sprint has been one of the most vocal opponents of the merger and has said that, in contrast to creating jobs and innovation, the acquisition will “stifle” innovation in the U.S. Wireless market. Read on for more.

AT&T said Microsoft, Facebook, 76 Democratic members of congress, 72 mayors, 6 governors and “unions representing 20 million members,” are in support of the merger. However, Senator Herb Kohl, chairman of the the Senate antitrust committee has called on federal regulators to block it. In addition, Senator Al Franken said the acquisition will “affect consumer prices, customer service, innovation, competition in handsets and the quality and quantity of network coverage.”

 

BGR

T-Mobile's BlackBerry Bold 9900 coming August 31st?

We’ve heard dates aplenty for the T-Mobile BlackBerry Bold 9900 already but one thing has remained true — the month will be August. A new leak is pegging the date for August 31st to be more precise, and along with that leak is the fact that T-Mobile stores are now also putting out some promo material for the device.

T-Mobile was among the first carriers to confirm release of the Blackberry Bold 9900 when it was first announced, so when ready — we’re pretty sure they will go pretty hard at promoting the device. Judging from the info, customers will also get a $50 MIR when you opt in for a $20+ data plan.

Source: Phone Arena, T-Mo News

T-Mobile responds to Sen. Al Franken’s recommendation against AT&T merger

Minnesota Senator Al Franken sent a letter to the heads of the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice earlier this week, stating that AT&T’s proposed $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA was not in the best interest of the American public. “The competitive effects of a merger of this size and scope will reverberate throughout the telecommunications sector for decades to come and will affect consumer prices, customer service, innovation, competition in handsets and the quality and quantity of network coverage. These threats are too large and too irrevocable to be prevented or alleviated by conditions,” Franken wrote. The Minnesota democrat also said that the deal could cost thousands of Americans their jobs. T-Mobile issued a statement in response to Franken’s note late on Tuesday, stating plainly that Franken’s assessment of the deal is wrong. “While we respect Senator Franken, his analysis of our pending transaction is just wrong,” T-Mobile said in a note to the press. “The combination of T-Mobile and AT&T should be approved because it will deliver what consumers are looking for in the age of smart phones, tablets and mobile internet – speed, service quality and reduced costs. As is documented in our government filings, the combination of our two networks creates significant efficiencies that will trigger strong benefits for consumers. We are confident that a thorough review of the record will demonstrate the transaction advances the public interest.”

 

BGR

T-Mobile Classic And Value Rate Plans Go Live

Right on schedule T-Mobile has unveiled the Classic and Value rate plan selections and they are now ready for your buying pleasure.The new plans represent yet another industry first for T-Mobile as they attempt to move customers away from the equipment subsidy model that has been a staple of the American wireless industry for years. Time will tell how receptive customers are to the changes T-Mobile is making and whether or not a widespread shift in the industry is possible. If T-Mobile is successful at an offering that reduces the monthly cost without a subsidy on equipment the question will come as to whether or not the industry at large is ready for such a dynamic shift in purchasing devices? Will this effort succeed or fail, what say you?

Want a full breakdown of the new plans? Check here and here!

T-Mobile

AT&T 'confident' T-Mobile deal to close in Q1 2012

AT&T this morning offered up some earnings tidbits, and there’s some good news in there for the iPhone-wielding mobile network. In its best-ever second quarter for smartphone sales, the company moved more than 5.6 million of the devices. The Former Mrs. Bell also revealed that it is “confident” that, much to the chagrin of Sprint and others, its planned purchase of T-Mobile is set to be completed by the first quarter of 2012. AT&T will be offering up more financial details in an earnings call later today, including, no doubt, the much-rumored plans for magenta carpeting in its global headquarters.
Update: The company didn’t talk too much about its interior decorating plans, but it did insist that it is “look[ing] forward to working with the FCC,” and while it still has “work to do, we remain confident that we can satisfy the FCC and DOJ.” AT&T also happily pointed out support from governors of 26 states. The acquisition, it added, will offer “enormous efficiencies” and “is the surest and fastest way to address the unique network constraints and spectrum shortages affecting AT&T.”

AT&T

via: engadget

T-Mobile doubles 4G HSPA+ speeds in 56 new markets

T-Mobile on Wednesday announced that it has doubled the theoretical download speed ceiling on its 4G HSPA+ network in 56 new markets. “America’s Largest 4G Network is now faster than ever and continues to deliver a fast and reliable broadband experience in more places than any other carrier,” said T-Mobile CTO Neville Ray in a statement. “Video streaming on T-Mobile’s network has more than tripled over the last year, and consumer demand for access to rich mobile content from anywhere continues to grow. T-Mobile is now supplying more than 170 million Americans with lightning-fast HSPA+ 42 speeds to feed that explosive demand.” For the time being, T-Mobile offers just one device capable of making full use of its new HSPA+ 42 service: the T-Mobile Rocket 3.0 laptop stick. The carrier has confirmed that it will launch its first HSPA+ 42-capable smartphone later this year, but it has provided no additional details or timeline. T-Mobile’s full press release follows below and it includes a list of each newly upgraded 4G market.

T-Mobile’s Faster 4G Network Now Available in More Locations