The Washington Post has reported that the $41 billion merger of Cingular Wireless LLC and AT&T Wireless Services Inc. won approval from the Federal Communications Commission Friday.
The paper quoted unnamed “federal sources close to the agency.” The story was also reported by the Wall Street Journal. Truckers are major users of wireless phone services.
The merger will create the largest wireless service provider in the U.S. with 47.6 million subscribers, 27% of the entire wireless market, placing it ahead of the current leader, Verizon Wireless, which has 40.4 million subscribers.
The Post reports that Cingular will have to sell AT&T Wireless's business, including stores and customers, in 16 mostly rural and suburban markets. The company also will be ineligible to buy additional airwave licenses in areas where the combined company controls 70 megahertz or more of spectrum; 189 megahertz is the total available for use by cell phone companies in a market. Additionally, the company will have to sell a portion of its airwave licenses in some other markets.
Both Cingular and AT&T operate GSM-compatible networks. Their combined coverage will outstrip Verizon according to some sources, but not according to others. A formal announcement will probably provide a schedule for integration of the two networks.
The paper quoted unnamed “federal sources close to the agency.” The story was also reported by the Wall Street Journal. Truckers are major users of wireless phone services.
The merger will create the largest wireless service provider in the U.S. with 47.6 million subscribers, 27% of the entire wireless market, placing it ahead of the current leader, Verizon Wireless, which has 40.4 million subscribers.
The Post reports that Cingular will have to sell AT&T Wireless's business, including stores and customers, in 16 mostly rural and suburban markets. The company also will be ineligible to buy additional airwave licenses in areas where the combined company controls 70 megahertz or more of spectrum; 189 megahertz is the total available for use by cell phone companies in a market. Additionally, the company will have to sell a portion of its airwave licenses in some other markets.
Both Cingular and AT&T operate GSM-compatible networks. Their combined coverage will outstrip Verizon according to some sources, but not according to others. A formal announcement will probably provide a schedule for integration of the two networks.
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