Posted on 12/29/2006 1:59:15 PM PST by Dont Mention the War
(AP) The Federal Communications Commission has unanimously approved AT&T's takeover of BellSouth.
FCC Unanimously Approves AT&T Inc.'s $86 Billion Buyout of BellSouth
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Federal Communications Commission unanimously approved AT&T Inc.'s $86 billion buyout of BellSouth Corp. on Friday. Lawyers for AT&T and the two Democratic commissioners who had opposed the merger hammered out a compromise, the details of which were released Thursday night.
Among the conditions offered by AT&T is a promise to observe "network neutrality" principles, an offer of $19.95 per month stand-alone digital subscriber line service, and a vow to divest some wireless spectrum.
Source link is for an article on Saddam.
I don't know if either one want's them though.
heres the real link
http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/ATT_BELLSOUTH?SITE=NDBIS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-12-29-16-55-33
SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T - News) today closed its acquisition of BellSouth Corporation, creating a premier global communications company committed to driving convergence, continued innovation, and competition in the communications and entertainment market.
The transaction consolidates ownership and management of Cingular Wireless, the nation's leading provider of wireless voice and data services, and YELLOWPAGES.COM, a leading Internet Yellow Pages and local search site.
"AT&T will be an engine for innovation, competition, and growth for our customers at home and abroad," said AT&T Chairman and CEO Edward E. Whitacre Jr. "In the Southeast, we will build on BellSouth's excellent record of serving customers and communities. And we are ready to lead the way in a new era of integrated wireless services nationwide."
AT&T will immediately start to implement a carefully planned integration process to converge the AT&T, BellSouth, and Cingular wireless and wireline Internet Protocol (IP) networks, combine product portfolios and integrate customer care capabilities. The new company will be able to accelerate the introduction of innovative broadband services, such as IP-based services, while expanding the reach of broadband access in remote and rural locations in the traditional BellSouth region.
"AT&T, BellSouth, and Cingular have led in developing and deploying many of the communications services that customers depend on today, including broadband DSL and wireless technologies," said Whitacre. "Moving forward, AT&T will work to integrate these services for customers in the Southeast, across the country and around the world."
With the merger complete, AT&T enhances its U.S. leadership position in broadband, wireless services, voice services for consumers and businesses, and data services to Fortune 1000 companies.
In 2006, the AT&T Foundation provided more than $65 million in charitable contributions, ranking it among the top five largest corporate foundations in the country, in terms of annual giving. This year, Forbes magazine named the AT&T Foundation among the "25 Most Generous Corporate Foundations," ranking the company 11th on the magazine's list of top corporate donors.
In addition, nearly 350,000 AT&T employees and retirees serve their communities as members of AT&T Pioneers, the nation's largest company- sponsored volunteer organization.
Whitacre will continue to serve as chairman and CEO and as a member of the board of directors. Duane Ackerman will serve as chairman emeritus of BellSouth for the transition period following the merger.
Three members of the former BellSouth's board of directors have joined the AT&T board -- Reuben V. Anderson, James H. Blanchard and James P. Kelly.
Reporting to Whitacre will be: Jim Cicconi, senior executive vice president - external and legislative affairs; Jim Ellis, senior executive vice president and general counsel; Karen Jennings, senior executive vice president - advertising and corporate communications; Jim Kahan, senior executive vice president - corporate development; Rick Lindner, senior executive vice president and chief financial officer; Forrest Miller, group president - strategic initiatives and human resources; Randall Stephenson, chief operating officer; and Ray Wilkins, group president.
Reporting to Chief Operating Officer Randall Stephenson will be: Dick Anderson, group president - global business services, replacing Forrest Miller; Stan Sigman, president & CEO - wireless; John Stankey, senior executive vice president and chief technology officer; and Ralph de la Vega, group president - regional wireline operations.
AT&T's current regional wireline presidents will report to de la Vega, along with Rod Odom, who has been named president and CEO, AT&T Southeast. Previously, Odom was president - network services for BellSouth Corporation.
Additional executive appointments will be announced in the near future.
AT&T's corporate headquarters will remain in San Antonio. The new AT&T Southeast (formerly BellSouth Corporation) and Cingular will continue to be based in Atlanta.
In the coming days, AT&T will launch extensive new advertising, which will begin the transition of the BellSouth brand name to AT&T. AT&T will re-brand Cingular through a co-branded transition, which is scheduled to start in 2007. Details regarding the Cingular branding will be announced at a later date. YELLOWPAGES.COM will not undergo a name or Web site address change.
Stockholders of the former BellSouth received 1.325 shares of AT&T common stock for each common share of BellSouth. Based on AT&T's closing stock price on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2006, this exchange ratio equaled $47.04 per BellSouth common share. Since the merger was announced, the market price of AT&T shares has risen 26.83 percent and BellSouth shares have increased 48.76 percent.
In connection with the completion of the acquisition, BellSouth's common stock and debt securities will be immediately delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.
In order to receive bipartisan FCC approval, AT&T volunteered a number of commitments, including making broadband access increasingly affordable and available to consumers and supporting public safety.
AT&T has committed to making broadband services available through a combination of technologies to 100 percent of residential living units in its 22-state local-phone-service territory by the end of 2007. Additionally, AT&T will offer a stand-alone broadband service for $19.95, as well as other offers to encourage broadband adoption by those who do not currently subscribe.
AT&T plans to repatriate 3,000 jobs currently outsourced by BellSouth outside the United States, as well as to make its disaster-recovery capabilities available in order to facilitate the restoration of services in the former BellSouth region, in the event of a hurricane or other natural disaster.
"These commitments reflect our long history of providing consumers and businesses with the most advanced and affordable communications services," said Whitacre. "We can't wait to show people what the new AT&T can do."
Note: This AT&T release and other news announcements are available as part of an RSS feed at http://www.att.com/rss .
AT&T is a registered trademark of AT&T Knowledge Ventures. Subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. provide products and services under the AT&T brand.
For more information, please review this announcement in the AT&T newsroom at http://www.att.com/newsroom .
OMG, this is series!!
Well, if I had to go back to AT&T I'd hang myself!
Qworst is going in the dumper.
All this from a Baby Bell that began as South Western Bell Telephone after the break up of the monopoly years ago.
"We're putting the band back together again."
I am not for or against the possibility, but we need the service and some have spent billions on infrastructure only to have to lease it and maintain it at a loss due to regulations.
Well... back to our Tornado Warning in SE Tarrant County.
All this merger will do - to the sheep out there- is raise it's rates. PAY PAY PAY for lousy service. BBAAHHHHHH
Well that's subjective. I used to work for Ma Bell, post breakup (the first time) but I heard stories from the old days. Like some Bell Lab guys, who at the time could still order line equipment, and as a joke, ordered a telephone pole for someone in their office. The office was on the 5th floor of the Holmdel, NJ lab building.
It was delivered!
The target of the joke came to work one morning and found a telephone pole laying on the floor outside his door (not to mention other people's doors.
Anyway, the point is; that with a guaranteed 20~30 percent built-in profit margin due to monopoly status, it's easy for waste to creep into the system.
And then there's the story about how the bean counters didn't consider cellular technology to be viable and let it go. Years later when I worked there, they had to pay $12B to get back into that game.
There are certain benefits to being a monopoly, Bell Labs funding for one, but the drawbacks eventually creep into the system. Competition brings newer and better technologies and services to market faster.
Otherwise you're stuck with the same old, same old, until Mr. Monopoly decides it's in his best interest. Which could be a while.
LOL!
Does this mean I"m gonna lose my bellsouth email address? (I hated AT&T)
Good news!
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