news: AT&T Wireless losing up to 750K subscribers a month

In article <[email protected]>,
"The Watcher" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Rumor Mill: AT&T Wireless losing up to 150K subscribers a month
> According to the latest rumor, AT&T Wireless may be losing as many as
> 150,000 subscribers per month. Insiders claim the carrier is losing a
> majority of these subscribers to rival Verizon Wireless. Financial analysts
> at Bear Stearns and Smith Barney predict that AT&T Wireless could post its
> first quarterly net subscriber loss when it files its first-quarter results.
> A rumor broke last week that AT&T Wireless was suffering mass defections of
> subscribers, but there were no numbers circulating at that time. Analysts
> claim that the combination of the uncertainty of the Cingular Wireless
> merger, AT&T Wireless' poor customer support, and the wide availability of
> number portability could work to substantially shrink AT&T Wireless'
> subscriber base by the end of this year. Cingular, meanwhile, is scrambling
> to help AT&T Wireless, but can do little until it completes its merger with
> the carrier later this year.
>
> For more on the AT&T Wireless subscriber defections:
>
> read this article from AP


Actually its much worse than that. its a net loss of 150,000 per month
They're apparently losing 750,000 per month; but signing up
600,000 per month new customers through their free phones giveaways
(like free T616).

Verizon has been quoted as saying the churn between AT&T and Verizon in
NYCity is 20 to 1; ie 20 AT&T customers come to Verizon for every 1 they
lose to AT&T.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...=/ap/20040331/
ap_on_bi_ge/at_t_wireless&sid=95573418

---

› See More: news: AT&T Wireless losing up to 750K subscribers a month

I certainly wouldn't switch to Cingular. It's a clear sign of ignorance for
them to think AT&T was actually worth $41 billion! What a joke.

-Jeff


"Robert M." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "The Watcher" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Rumor Mill: AT&T Wireless losing up to 150K subscribers a month
> > According to the latest rumor, AT&T Wireless may be losing as many as
> > 150,000 subscribers per month. Insiders claim the carrier is losing a
> > majority of these subscribers to rival Verizon Wireless. Financial
analysts
> > at Bear Stearns and Smith Barney predict that AT&T Wireless could post
its
> > first quarterly net subscriber loss when it files its first-quarter
results.
> > A rumor broke last week that AT&T Wireless was suffering mass defections
of
> > subscribers, but there were no numbers circulating at that time.
Analysts
> > claim that the combination of the uncertainty of the Cingular Wireless
> > merger, AT&T Wireless' poor customer support, and the wide availability
of
> > number portability could work to substantially shrink AT&T Wireless'
> > subscriber base by the end of this year. Cingular, meanwhile, is
scrambling
> > to help AT&T Wireless, but can do little until it completes its merger
with
> > the carrier later this year.
> >
> > For more on the AT&T Wireless subscriber defections:
> >
> > read this article from AP
>
>
> Actually its much worse than that. its a net loss of 150,000 per month
> They're apparently losing 750,000 per month; but signing up
> 600,000 per month new customers through their free phones giveaways
> (like free T616).
>
> Verizon has been quoted as saying the churn between AT&T and Verizon in
> NYCity is 20 to 1; ie 20 AT&T customers come to Verizon for every 1 they
> lose to AT&T.
>
> http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...=/ap/20040331/
> ap_on_bi_ge/at_t_wireless&sid=95573418

In article <[email protected]>,
"jeff" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I certainly wouldn't switch to Cingular. It's a clear sign of ignorance for
> them to think AT&T was actually worth $41 billion! What a joke.

and the real cost is over $50 billion when you include debt assumption,
and losses on asset sales.

In article <[email protected]>,
jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
>I certainly wouldn't switch to Cingular. It's a clear sign of ignorance for
>them to think AT&T was actually worth $41 billion! What a joke.

This news supports my belief that Cingular has the worst cell phone
service in America. Perhaps those AT&T subscribers are worried that
their service quality will decline to the Cingular level once the merger
is complete.
--
David Arnstein [email protected]
--
Spammers: thank you for training my filters. You are all doing a
wonderful job. Keep up the good work!

Anyone remember @Home? AT$T strikes itself in the foot once again.

Popeye

"David Arnstein" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
> >I certainly wouldn't switch to Cingular. It's a clear sign of ignorance
for
> >them to think AT&T was actually worth $41 billion! What a joke.
>
> This news supports my belief that Cingular has the worst cell phone
> service in America. Perhaps those AT&T subscribers are worried that
> their service quality will decline to the Cingular level once the merger
> is complete.
> --
> David Arnstein [email protected]
> --
> Spammers: thank you for training my filters. You are all doing a
> wonderful job. Keep up the good work!

I would have to disagree. Cingular service is far superior to ATTws GSM in
Southern California. and I look forward to the merger so I don't have to pay
my ETF to move to Cingular. As for Verizon, their service is ok, but once
again. Verizon has dead spots where my ATTws phone gets signal, and vice
versa.
However, I do find this CDMA vs. GSM rivalry most entertaining.

"David Arnstein" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
> >I certainly wouldn't switch to Cingular. It's a clear sign of ignorance
for
> >them to think AT&T was actually worth $41 billion! What a joke.
>
> This news supports my belief that Cingular has the worst cell phone
> service in America. Perhaps those AT&T subscribers are worried that
> their service quality will decline to the Cingular level once the merger
> is complete.
> --
> David Arnstein [email protected]
> --
> Spammers: thank you for training my filters. You are all doing a
> wonderful job. Keep up the good work!

>I certainly wouldn't switch to Cingular. It's a clear sign of ignorance for
>>them to think AT&T was actually worth $41 billion! What a joke.
>
>
> This news supports my belief that Cingular has the worst cell phone
> service in America. Perhaps those AT&T subscribers are worried that
> their service quality will decline to the Cingular level once the merger
> is complete.
That why I left attws last month. I have heard from numerous people the
cingular service is horrible. AT&Tws gsm service in new jersey is just
ok at best. I was under the impression they were still building up the
service in this area. With all the debt cingular now has i don't think
they will be doing much to improve the service.
--
Must fight it must , i must fight my A.D.D , what was i talking about
oh never mind oooo what that over there

"jeff" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> I certainly wouldn't switch to Cingular. It's a clear sign of ignorance for
> them to think AT&T was actually worth $41 billion! What a joke.

Well then, in your expert opinion, how much is AWE actually worth?

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] (XFF) wrote:

> "jeff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
>
> > I certainly wouldn't switch to Cingular. It's a clear sign of ignorance for
> > them to think AT&T was actually worth $41 billion! What a joke.
>
> Well then, in your expert opinion, how much is AWE actually worth?


It depends how many million fewer customers it has by December when the
purchase goes through.

By June of 2005, Verzion will be number one again.

It ain't just customers.
In order to continue to grow on into the future, carriers need spectrum.

That and a whole slew of existing infrastructure and licenses were part of the deal.

Cingular still paid a whole wad, but there are multiple factors why...


"Robert M." <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] (XFF) wrote:
>
> > "jeff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:<[email protected]>...
> >
> > > I certainly wouldn't switch to Cingular. It's a clear sign of ignorance for
> > > them to think AT&T was actually worth $41 billion! What a joke.
> >
> > Well then, in your expert opinion, how much is AWE actually worth?
>
>
> It depends how many million fewer customers it has by December when the
> purchase goes through.
>
> By June of 2005, Verzion will be number one again.

The Blue <[email protected]> crawled to the nearest keyboard and
summoned the courage to write:

>That why I left attws last month. I have heard from numerous people the
>cingular service is horrible. AT&Tws gsm service in new jersey is just
>ok at best. I was under the impression they were still building up the
>service in this area. With all the debt cingular now has i don't think
>they will be doing much to improve the service.

That's why I jumped off ATTWS. With the debt burden it's going to be
hard for them to put money into infrastructure.


>--
>Must fight it must , i must fight my A.D.D , what was i talking about
> oh never mind oooo what that over there

Q. How many kids with ADD does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

A. Wanna go ride bikes?



--
mi aerodeslizador se llena de las anguilas

Well, I wonder how Verizon got to be number one, I am sure people said the
same about them at one time, where there was NO verizon, it was Bell
Atlantic, GTE and someone else who I dont know, if you remember they had to
carry a tri band phones from the purchase of not one, but three different
carriers. I would not count out Cingular just yet, I am not saying Cingular
is the best or even good, but I do think depending on the areas you travel
and the area you live in your level of services is subjective such as your
opinion.


"Richard Ness" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> It ain't just customers.
> In order to continue to grow on into the future, carriers need spectrum.
>
> That and a whole slew of existing infrastructure and licenses were part of
the deal.
>
> Cingular still paid a whole wad, but there are multiple factors why...
>
>
> "Robert M." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > In article <[email protected]>,
> > [email protected] (XFF) wrote:
> >
> > > "jeff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > > news:<[email protected]>...
> > >
> > > > I certainly wouldn't switch to Cingular. It's a clear sign of
ignorance for
> > > > them to think AT&T was actually worth $41 billion! What a joke.
> > >
> > > Well then, in your expert opinion, how much is AWE actually worth?
> >
> >
> > It depends how many million fewer customers it has by December when the
> > purchase goes through.
> >
> > By June of 2005, Verzion will be number one again.
>
>

>Well, I wonder how Verizon got to be number one

Certainly not by any good quality service of any kind. PCS Primeco (one of the
Verizon companies) was horrible in Dallas for a long time.

They go to be #1 only because a whole lot of smaller companies merged to form
Verizon.

In my opinion, they are #1 ONLY in the number of subscribers that they have and
for no other reason.

--
John S.
e-mail responses to - john at kiana dot net

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected]pamfree (John S.) wrote:

> >Well, I wonder how Verizon got to be number one
>
> Certainly not by any good quality service of any kind. PCS Primeco (one of
> the
> Verizon companies) was horrible in Dallas for a long time.
>
> They go to be #1 only because a whole lot of smaller companies merged to form
> Verizon.
>
> In my opinion, they are #1 ONLY in the number of subscribers that they have
> and
> for no other reason.

JD Power and others rate Verizon best for Customer Service. Verizon has
a low churn rate and a high rate of adding new customers.

Apparently others do not share your opinion.

"jeff" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I certainly wouldn't switch to Cingular. It's a clear sign of ignorance for
> them to think AT&T was actually worth $41 billion! What a joke.
>
> -Jeff
>

There are / were only two major GSM providers in the US, AT&T wireless
and Cingular. GSM offers the advantage of being able to use your
phone overseas, say in areas extremely popular by US toursits and
business, like Japan, Europe, etc..

So, if you travel frequently between these places, getting a GSM phone
would make sense. It's extremely convenient and allows you to offer
extremely competitive international roaming bundles, or with no other
major GSM competition, they can charge whatever they want
(Rockerfeller, anyone?).

Buying out your only competition in this arena is definately worth
$41B-$57B (depending on who's numbers you look at).

Also, Vingular does have a lot of hole,s but they had a deal with AT&T
that allowed a lot of roaming onto AT&T's network. So, now they don't
have to pay AT&T for the roaming, nor do they have to build new cel
sites in those areas (since they're already there).

Cingular will also pick up any cusotmers that AT$T wireless has. I
don't know what the exact numbers are, but let's say they'll pick up a
modest 10,000,000 subscribers. Say the average plan is $50 / month
with the AT&T subscribers (again, an estimate), that's an extra half
million a month in revinue, or an extra 6 million a year.

So, for a price tag somewhere between $41B and $60B (depending on
who's numbers you look at) is pretty good for:

- Increased network size and capacity.
- Monopoly on the GSM market (feds won't get involved since wireless
phones are not a 'necessity' now, just a 'luxury').
- That allows either extremely competitive international roaming plans
to hurt your CDMA competition, or charge your current customers what
you want since they don't have an easy alternative.
- serious increase in customer base and revinue


We've seen mergers before, but those were several smaller companies
merging to compete with the larger ones, but we haven't seen anyhting
this large yet. It may be like Mt Kracatau (sp?), it's so large, it
will create rules for itself. We'll see what happens, but the full
efects won't be seen until at least mid 2005 (we may start to hear by
the end of this year, though).