[PLUG-TALK] My Condolences to T-Mobile Customers

Russell Johnson russ at dimstar.net
Tue Mar 22 12:33:29 UTC 2011


On Mar 22, 2011, at 12:25 AM, Russell Senior wrote:

>>>>>> "RJ" == Russell Johnson <russ at dimstar.net> writes:
> 
> RJ> It was a long and complicated process where Cingular acquired the
> RJ> what at the time was AT&T, and then renamed itself. There was even
> RJ> a skit about it on the daily show that showed all the players.
> 
>  "Originally Cingular Wireless LLC, a joint venture between SBC
>  Communications and BellSouth, the company acquired the old AT&T
>  Wireless in 2004; SBC later acquired the original AT&T and
>  re-branded as "The New AT&T". Cingular became wholly owned by The
>  New AT&T in December 2006 as a result of AT&T's acquisition of BellSouth."
> 
> There is a distinction to be made between AT&T and AT&T Wireless.  You
> say Cingular bought AT&T, but it really just bought AT&T Wireless.
> 
> SBC and BellSouth owned Cingular.
> Cingular Wireless LLC bought AT&T Wireless.
> SBC bought AT&T
> SBC bought BellSouth to bring though whole thing back together again.
> SBC renamed itself AT&T.

Which does not make my statement any less accurate. We are speaking of two different events. 

When you get right down to it, AT&T has been 'reacquiring' it's baby bells almost since the breakup happened. It then spins off parts of itself, only to reacquire that part at a later time. 

SO...

AT&T acquired Cingular, then AT&T spun off it's wireless. Cingular acquired AT&T (Wireless). Then Cingular renamed itself to AT&T. Those are the gross facts, without all the fluff. I wasn't making a dissertation on the entire history. Just as the Daily show did, I was making a comment on the fact the AT&T is the T1000 of telephone companies. No matter how many pieces you break it up into, it comes back together. 

Russell Johnson
russ at dimstar.net






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