Cingular acquired AT&T wireless .. big news, yes. Quite big in fact. I didn't realize how big until I absorbed the details. Its a $41 billion acquisition, as a result of which a thousand AT&T wireless shops across the US will stop sporting the oh-so-familiar blue and white AT&T logo, and adopt the orange Cingular one. The new company is now bigger than Verizon wireless .. the leader .. until now that is. I forget the numbers, but Verizon had some 40 million subscribers and Cingular+AT&T make up some 40+million. Big figures.
What remains to be seen is now will Cingular continue to be the leader; for Verizon, in anticipation of the oncoming acquisition has braced itself up. New phones, new promotions are waiting in the wings. Verizon has a top-rated network and the highest subscriber retention rate, while AT&T had one of the worst. Verizon continues to lead in the adding of new customers as well.. 1.7 million new subscribers in the last quarter as against just 650,000 by Cingular and AT&T combined. Till now Verizon boasted the largest network .. the new network threatens it with one of almost the same size. Cingular-AT&T subscribers will now get the advantage of the strongest signal of the two on their cells .. again threatening Verizon's advantage of the best signal strength. Also .. now one can call free within each network .. a virtual bonanza for groups of friends of family or even businesses.
Far from winding up, the games are just beginning.
Also, [unrelated] KMart has made a successful bid to acquire Sears, making the combined company the 3rd largest retailer in the US.
Posted by anya at November 18, 2004 08:52 AM | TrackBackIf you look at the finacials of AT&T wireless for last 3 years, it's a declining curve. Also as you mentioned AT&T was loosing it's subscriber's base too. Now what we need to wait and see are the effects of Cingular policies (for good or bad) on the exisiting AT&T customers.
I am eager to see their market strategy after this merger.
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Why ads on your blog? Supporting your website or for some other reason?
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Do the ads really give you the returns for the real estate they consume?
Posted by: Amol Hatwar at November 19, 2004 10:17 PM1. Trying things out.
2. No they dont .. like I said trying things out.
I am a big believer of learning thru experimentation.
Hey.. Good one.. Kmart's Lampert is tipped to be the next Warren Buffet.. So Kmart will rule!
Posted by: Prabz at November 24, 2004 08:45 PM