merger

The regulatory scrutiny is starting to get to AT&T and its bid to acquire T-Mobile USA.

AT&T disclosed in its quarterly regulatory filing that it now expects the deal to close in the first half of 2012, compared with its previous target of the first quarter. The Dow Jones Newswires was the first to report the change.

The regulatory scrutiny has also caused it to push back the target date for its acquisition of spectrum from Qualcomm. AT&T now expects that deal to close in the first quarter of 2012, rather than the end … Read more

A federal judge today allowed Sprint Nextel and C Spire to continue with its lawsuit to block the merger between AT&T and T-Mobile USA.

AT&T and T-Mobile had attempted to dismiss the lawsuit. But Judge Ellen Huvelle allowed both companies to persist with their lawsuits, which claim they would be squeezed by market pressures if the consolidation were to be allowed, according to Reuters. Part of the lawsuits, however, were dismissed. The lawsuits could further complicate the deal, which already faces opposition in the form of a lawsuit from the Justice Department.

"Both Sprint and … Read more

Sprint Nextel lost out in a bid to obtain AT&T documents that would have provided the third-largest U.S. wireless carrier with additional ammunition in its battle to stop AT&T's acquisition of T-Mobile USA.

Reuters reported that U.S. District Judge Ellen Huvelle denied Sprint's request for the documents, which would have also given the company valuable insight into rival AT&T's operations. Huvelle also heard arguments by AT&T seeking to dismiss lawsuits filed by Sprint and regional carrier C Spire in an attempt to block the T-Mobile deal. She … Read more

Microsoft is reportedly gearing up for another bid for Yahoo.

The software giant is working with private-equity firm Silver Lake Partners and one of its investors on a proposal to buy Yahoo, according to a Wall Street Journal report that cited people familiar with the matter. The partners and assorted banks would help finance the purchase, but Microsoft would put up the lion's share of the money, sources told the newspaper.

However, that figure would most likely be much lower than Microsoft's previous offer for the Web pioneer, in which the software giant in 2008 offered first $31, then $33 per share … Read more

AOL Chief Executive Tim Armstrong has been meeting with investors to push the idea of selling the company to Yahoo, Reuters reports, citing unidentified sources.

Despite Yahoo's recent leadership shakeup, Armstrong is pitching the idea that the two companies have squandered their once-preeminent positions on the Web and would have a stronger position paired up than going it alone.

"The focus in the meeting has gone from a year ago of being around the fundamentals to now being how could you carve this up, what are separate assets worth, are there ways to sell off the business to … Read more

Sprint Nextel sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission on Friday asking for the agency to move with more speed in its decision on AT&T's planned acquisition of T-Mobile USA.

Sprint filed an ex parte letter to the FCC, joining Dish Network and Public Knowledge, which filed their own ex parte letters late last month. The document urges the FCC "to act promptly to designate AT&T's proposed takeover of T-Mobile for a hearing before an administrative law judge," which is the next step if the commission is going to block the … Read more

AT&T fired back at Sprint Nextel and Cellular South, the two companies that have sued to block AT&T's planned acquisition of T-Mobile USA.

The Dallas telecommunications giant filed two motions today seeking to dismiss the complaints filed by Sprint and Cellular South.

AT&T's argument is that Sprint and Cellular South are competitors, and lack the legal standing to file a complaint, and that Sprint's secondary complaint about the deal's effect on wholesale pricing for access to the wireline ground infrastructure is immaterial.

AT&T also argues that Sprint has … Read more

T-Mobile USA today showed off what are likely to be its flagship phones for the rest of the year: Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S II and HTC's Amaze 4G.

Both phones will be available on October 12, with the Amaze 4G selling for $259.99 and the Galaxy S II selling for $229.99, with both prices coming after a $50 rebate and a two-year contract.

The two smartphones are the first to run on T-Mobile's newly upgraded network, which the company says is faster than most consumers' home Internet connection. While T-Mobile lacks the spectrum to build a true 4G LTE network, it has instead put its resources behind an upgraded version of HSPA technology that delivers a higher connection speed.

Because of the faster connection, T-Mobile calls its network 4G, putting it on the same level--marketing-wise--as Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel. Cole Brodman, chief marketing officer of T-Mobile, said the phones should be able to average speeds at around 8 megabits per second, and peak speeds of 20 megabits per second--faster than the standard home DSL or cable connection. … Read more

NEW YORK--Another day, another near-confirmation that Sprint Nextel would get the iPhone.

This time, Sprint Chief Executive Dan Hesse noted that the company's financial expectations for the year don't factor in the "rumored device," and hinted at a possible change.

"If we get it--if--we may have to adjust our guidance for that," Hesse said today during an investor conference sponsored by Goldman Sachs.

Hesse otherwise tiptoed around the iPhone rumors, and noted at the beginning of the presentation that he would not be talking about whether Sprint would carry Apple's iconic device. But … Read more