I hope the FCC stops this. I know they aren't big fans of AT&T, based on some of the things I've seen in the past between them. I don't like the idea for a number of reasons. Most of them are simply economical.
This takes up a lot of the home page here, so go to the break for the scoop.
This would give AT&T a monopoly on GSM service. Bad. Very bad. Frequent travelers, developers, and just regular people that switch phones a lot need the ability to use a SIM card. This gives them one carrier. Only one choice. What if there's an Android developer that owes a hefty sum to AT&T, and is no longer eligible for service with them? What if some jet-setting businessman can't use AT&T because they have a competing product like internet service or cable? Some average Joe that has pay-as-you-go service with T-Mobile, and switches to the next cheapest device when his breaks, may no longer be able to use certain features once he is forced to change to an AT&T device. He's also going to have to switch his number (for some reason you can't keep those numbers across plans), and may lose contact with people he can't get a hold of in time for the change.
I have some friends that work for T-Mobile, and I don't want them to lose their jobs. I have some that work for AT&T as well, but I'm not worried about them. I'm not only looking out for them though. All the T-Mobile sites could be shut down, and that's a lot of jobs. A lot of people without income. People with families.
Personally, my biggest concern is that each carrier has their own strong devices, and this could be ruined by the buyout. T-Mobile seems to be getting the Google-branded phones first, and AT&T has their head up Apple's ass. Without the competition between all four carriers we may see less variety in the types of phones coming out. I can imagine a lot of manufacturers out there make the different models they have based on each carrier's particular needs and requests. Each manufacturer has developed relationships with the service providers. They provide them franchises like the MyTouch series, HD, EVO, DROID, and other assorted series of devices with the same prefix. If the two companies become one in the same will these franchises die off? And on the other side, what of the bad relationships between certain carriers and manufacturers? Palm and T-Mobile don't seem to get along too well. Will AT&T not get Palm handsets any more?
Bottom line, I really hope this doesn't happen. It could change a lot of things. Not just simple things, either. I'm not the hugest fan of AT&T, and that may have some effect on my views. Still, on principle alone, I don't like the thought of any carrier buyout.
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