Free Republic

NEW YORK - Your cell phone company knows you hate it. Mobile phone service was the second-lowest ranked industry — beating only cable providers among the 40 rated — in the University of Michigan's newest customer satisfaction index. And there's more: mobile companies were the No. 2 sector in complaints last year to Better Business Bureaus, dropping from first place in 2002. Only auto dealers did worse. "The industry claims that people love their cell phones and they're very happy with the service," said Carl Wood, a commissioner on the California Public Utilities commission who fought the industry for four...

ATLANTA - Cingular Wireless won the bidding war to acquire AT&T Wireless Services for nearly $41 billion in cash, a deal that would create the nation’s largest cell phone company. The merger between the second and third largest U.S. wireless companies was announced Tuesday as Britain’s Vodafone Group PLC withdrew from the contest after four days of rising bids.

LONDON (Reuters) - Cingular, the second-largest U.S. mobile phone company, has clinched AT&T Wireless, its smaller rival, after outbidding Vodafone Group Plc with a $15-per-share offer, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters. The bid values AT&T Wireless Services Inc., the third-largest U.S. mobile phone group which put itself up for sale on January 22, at about $40.7 billion. "That's what we've been told, but it's a fluid situation," the source said. AT&T Wireless and Cingular are planning to host a morning press conference in the U.S., the source said. Cingular and Vodafone declined to comment, while AT&T...

LONDON (Reuters) - The world's largest mobile phone firm Vodafone Group Plc (VOD.L) and U.S rival Cingular Wireless were poised on Friday for a head-to-head bid battle that could value struggling AT&T Wireless (NYSE:AWE - news) of the U.S. at around $35 billion. As the clock ticks to a 5 p.m. EST (2200 GMT) bid deadline, sources close to talks said Vodafone was putting the final touches on a bid, while Cingular was ready to fight back. But final bid strategies were expected to be left to the 11th-hour. "What happens in these auctions is that everybody is making decisions...