Alltel Begins Serious Discussions For A Sale

we all know sprint has merger problems but sprint would have to force migrate every nextel customer to hybrids and do all CDMA calling if it was possible. what do you think?

then we would see dual band/iden hybrid phones!!!

Here in South Dakota, Verizon and Alltel are the two primary rural carriers. If VZW bought Alltel, they'd have to sell off the towers, customers, plans, etc, from Alltel, probably to US Cellular. I wonder how many other states this would happen to, and if VZW had to jump through all those hoops, what percentage of Alltel would actually be left for them to own. I just don't think Verizon is going to pull the trigger.

I've heard and think it would be much more likely that a cable company would make this purchase, like Comcast.

If Qwest were smart they would try and move in for this one too. Lots of CDMA and spectrum for growth, and they could sell off towers and spectrum from the Alltel GSM network to T-Mobile and AT&T for GSM/UMTS expansion to cover the costs of the $30 billion purchase.

Qwest needs to make a bold move soon or they are going to get eaten up.

Doesn't Alltel do this once or twice a year for the last couple years?

Any chance Vodafone would purchase Alltel?

Verizon Will Probably Win the Bid. We all just have to get use to it. 😎 Alltel might not want to admit it to everyone, but since Verizon hasn't had any issues with mergers, unlike Sprint/Nextel and AT&T/Cingular, they're going to be more interested in selling to Verizon. Keep it up VZW, it'll be all yours hopefully!!! 😎

If Verizon or ATT buy out alltel its going to be a mess because both companies would have to divest parts of Alltels network where Verizon or ATT already have 850mhz networks. The FCC wont allow a carrier to have both Cellular A and B blocks in the same market. Here in AZ if Verizon bought Alltel they would have to sell most of the spectrum off because in Arizona VZ and Alltels licenses pretty much overlap. Alltel operates so much roaming coverage for both GSM and CDMA carriers I just dont know what a buyout would do to affect Verizons or ATTs roaming coverage if one of them controlled it. I would much rather see Alltel remain a seperate wireless carrier than merge because Alltel helps keep the big boys in check somewhat.

I appriciate Alltel because they don't lock my phone to charge me for everything, their customer service is great and the coverage is the best in my area.

Alltel had the best fourth quarter out of any wireless phone company. In fact until recently, Alltel was the only wireless company that was debt free. Sprint is in so much money trouble as it is. They have a better chance of going under than to make this big of a purchase. Alltel said that they would not sell to Verizon, since they are Alltel biggest competitor. Alltel is the most profitable out of the big 5. So is 30 billion asking to much from Sprint? Considering their debt.

If Sprint were smart they would try to acquire them at all costs, however Verizon will win.

I got news yesterday from a reliable source, that Alltel will be sold to a private investor. Every Alltel stock holder in America is smiling this morning!

Personally, I think it'd be kinda boring if Alltel got bought out by one of the Big Three... though frankly, I get the feeling that won't happen anytime soon.

The last thing in the UNIVERSE Sprint needs right now is another merger, what with the Nextel thang blowing up in their face right proper.

ATT is only just now starting to get it together from its Cingular-ATTW merger of 2 1/2 years ago... do they really want to go through that again so soon, especially considering that Alltel is incompatible technologically, a la the Sprint-Nextel merger?

And I guess Verizon has its hands full getting fiber to the home and potentially trying to buy out Vodaphone's stake.

Who does that leave... T-mobile? Incompatible technologically, and...
(continues)