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There are all sorts of opinions on whether or not the AT&T-Mobile merger will actually be approved by the government or get shot down. We’ve heard a lot from Sprint’s CEO Dan Hesse but what does Verizon’s Chief Operating Officer Lowell McAdam think about the merger? During a Fortune Brainstorm tech conference McAdam spoke out on the acquisition saying, “the merger will probably go through,” adding, “It’s a merger AT&T probably had to do.” According to Reuters, Adams went on to say that he was surprised AT&T didn’t try to do this sooner and that the merger “just makes sense.”
I don’t know how much sense it makes when the majority of consumers are almost unanimously opposed to the merger. I’m not even a T-Mobile customer and it just seems weird to me that we might have only have one GSM carrier here in the states. Guess we’ll find out soon enough. How do you guys feel about the merger? Anyone here in support of it (that isn’t a lobbyist or has stock in AT&T)? Will this create a duopoly?
[Via Reuters]
What a dick!
“It’s a merger AT&T probably had to do.”
Uhhhh no. AT&T has more spectrum than Verizon, yet AT&T “had” to acquire tmobile to roll out lte? Bullshit.
at&t also has worse coverage than verizon so doesnt look like that spectrum is helping them much.
he wish it go through because people might leave and use verizon or sprint.
I wouldn’t expect him to say anything different than this. He can’t come out opposing it like Hesse has, nor does he have a reason to. The duopoly benefits Verizon just as much as AT&T. Plus if he were to be outspoken about being against the merger, it probably wouldn’t help his cause down the road, if Verizon decides on a merger of their own.
I interpret this as just one more way to hurt AT&T. If Verizon’s CEO says that the merger is anti-consumer and a sham he gets nothing (good or bad).
However, if he says it is necessary, (or vital), it will cause speculators to downgrade AT&T’s stock, (further than they might have otherwise), if the deal fails. If the deal goes through, there is no harm is done and he might even win some concessions from AT&T.
It is to his advantage for him to say the deal is necessary so as to help his own interests.
Before anyone calls me an AT&T fanboy, I left them for Sprint a while back and don’t miss anything except the data speeds.
because if it goes through then verizon can buyout sprint saying they allowed at&t to buy tmo so why cant verizon buy sprint. You watch it if this deal goes through then you will start hearing about a verizon/sprint merger.
They won’t try to buy Sprint. Two much trouble and not a lot of return.
They may try to buyout US Cellular or MetroPCS. But i doubt it.
Sprint would benefit them by getting more LTE spectrum, trust me it has benefits which outweigh the risks. and with only 3 carriers sprint will begin to slowly die like tmo is and so they will essentially be doing what at&t is doing saying they will “save” sprint.
What, they’re 2600MHz spectrum? Its useless.
Verizon already has up to 46MHz in some markets, 34MHz in some others and 22MHz in the rest with 700MHz.
Plus they have another 20MHz in every market east of the Mississippi in AWS.
They don’t need anymore. They’re only using the 22MHz right now.
Sprint just gives them debt.
It is said that there is no greater respect then that which is shown to your best rival. I think he sees it as if he was going to do it himself and it makes great business sense on ATT’s part. What company wouldnt want a couple of extra billion laying around lol. Will it cause issues in the future? Not sure but I hope it doesnt limit the flow of new devices. Which I hate to say it most likely will.
The Merger benefits Verizon just as much as it does AT&T. Of course McAdam is going to give his positive outlook spin on it as if it should go thru bull shit speech. This merger is going to put every small Carrier out of business in two years. No one will be able to compete with these two giants. If this goes thru then the entire deal should be investigated for illegal back room dealings. There is no way the public will benefit. AT&T owns plenty of unused spectrum right now, they have tons of cash on hand but they still can not get their pathetic excuse for 4G up and running. They advertise that it is everywhere, just try to find it. But yet T-Mobile, a small time Carrier that right now is putting out over 10 mb down in my neighborhood and all thru Boston. AT&T has not improved their lousy network in a long time. They are playing games and it sucks. I don’t trust anyone who plays sneaky freaken games. This entire scam, that’s right scam sucks. Ask me how I really feel.
Well said.
if it go through, Verizon and Sprint might gain some customers.
Lowell McAdam is talking for the benefit of Verizon, stupid little selfish business man.. he can kiss my ass!
Verizon could care less. They probably know they can successfully compete against AT&T better than T-Mobile since AT&T doesn’t have a lot of fiercely loyal customers especially now that the iPhone can be had on Verizon. Plus, they may be betting on the fact that a bunch of T-Mobile customers will leave and Verizon can scoop them up. On top of that, the merger is generally disliked by the public, which puts AT&T in a bad light as opposed to Verizon. Verizon wins either way so I’m not surprised they aren’t in opposition.
Old guys talking from the #1 carrier who wants the customers lost from TMob and wants to suffocate Sprint. Well played bro, like we can’t see what your trying to do here.
of course it “makes sense”; once the deal goes through, ATT and VZN have a virtual duopoly, they may PRETEND to compete with each other, but in the end, prices will get jacked up, features will be cut, and consumers will be tiered to death, while we watch the rest of the world leave us in the dust
been with tmo for 11 years, hope they get acquired. ever since news of this deal came around, they started treating everyone like crap.
It’s because most of the employees are just as upset as the customers. If the merger goes through, somewhere around half of T-mobile’s employees will no longer have jobs.
Didnt like it when I first heard of it and hate it even more now that Verizon is agreeing.
No one wants it to to happen except the companies involved.
AT&T is offering a free ringtone and a Cingular t-shirt to each T-Mobile customer as a concession.
Piece of shit, of course the merger is great in his eyes. Tmobile customers go to sprint or verizon, and he probably will get a 2 mil bonus….
At best this picture of Mr. Lowell McAdam really looks like he’s LOST IN THE WILDERNESS…Look at that blank stare he’s starting to look like all the verizon customers when they LOOK AT THE BILL EVERY MONTH….Espically with those USELESS DEVICES on verizon…This MERGER WILL NEVER HAPPEN….
Hey, why don’t you comment on the material at hand instead of looking at this article as if it’s a child’s picture book? Yet again, I am forced to point out to you that there are over 106 MILLION Verizon Wireless subscribers. If Verizon were soooo “useless”, why is a little over a third of the US population (311,826,000 from Wikipedia) using their services? And to put it even more specifically: if Verizon’s phones were so “useless”, why are they being sold in such large quantities? Stay in your little dream land and forget about reality. You’re obviously scared of the truth.
He kinda looks like Mr. Rogers.