merger

If no AT&T deal, T-Mobile has tasks ahead

As we told you earlier this week, the controversial tale of the AT&T-T-Mobile merger may be coming to an end.

Editor's note: On Monday, December 19, AT&T announced that it was abandoning its T-Mobile bid completely.

I say "may" because the deal could still (and probably will) happen, but with both the Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice opposing the $39 billion acquisition (not to mention AT&T withdrawing its application), the carrier will have to heavily revise the terms to get it approved. And now, with AT&… Read more

Lam Research to buy Novellus Systems for $3.3B

Semiconductor equipment maker Lam Research has agreed to acquire rival Novellus Systems in an all-stock deal worth $3.3 billion, the companies announced today.

The combined venture is expected to benefit from the individual companies' complementary product capabilities, with Novellus' thin-film application technology aligning with Lam's business of etching the film to create features that define a chip's final use and function.

Under the agreement's terms Novellus stockholders will get 1.125 shares of Lam common stock for each Novellus share, a premium of about 28 percent higher than Novellus' $34.70 closing price Wednesday. When the … Read more

Sprint, C-Spire call temporary cease-fire on AT&T

Sprint Nextel and C-Spire today agreed with AT&T to hold off on their lawsuit until AT&T has a chance to re-evaluate its options, following similar steps taken by the Department of Justice yesterday.

Sprint and the regional wireless carrier have sued to block AT&T's proposed acquisition of T-Mobile USA, drafting behind the larger--and more relevant--Justice Department lawsuit. But with AT&T reconsidering its strategy, Sprint and C-Spire have agreed to a delay until January 18.

The actions kicked off on Thanksgiving, when AT&T withdrew its merger application from the Federal Communications Commission. … Read more

AT&T and Justice Dept. ask to delay lawsuit

AT&T and the U.S. Department of Justice have asked a federal judge to delay any more legal proceedings in the antitrust case against AT&T and T-Mobile.

On Monday, AT&T and Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile's parent company, requested that Judge Huvelle, who is overseeing the case, stay any further court proceedings until January 18, 2012. AT&T said that the companies need time to evaluate their options. The U.S. Department of Justice, which sued AT&T in August to stop its merger with T-Mobile, joined in the filing.

AT&T … Read more

Justice Department asks to delay AT&T's T-Mobile merger trial

AT&T hasn't made many friends in the U.S. government.

Justice Department attorney Joseph Wayland today asked a federal judge to delay a trial between the parties over AT&T's proposed merger with T-Mobile USA, arguing that contrary to claims made by the wireless carrier, expediting the case isn't necessary. Wayland used AT&T's recent decision to withdraw its application for merger approval from the FCC to argue his point.

U.S. District Court Judge Ellen S. Huvelle planned a February trial to determine whether the merger would violate U.S. antitrust … Read more

Gowalla team to join Facebook in January

It's official: Facebook has hired the makers of the Gowalla location-based social-networking app.

"We're excited to confirm that Gowalla co-founders Josh Williams and Scott Raymond, along with other members of the Gowalla team, are moving to Facebook in January to join our design and engineering teams," Facebook said in a statement. "In talking with the Gowalla team, we realized that we share many of the same goals: building great products that reach millions of people, making a big impact quickly, and creating new ways for people to connect and share what's going on in … Read more

AT&T and T-Mobile: Wireless megamerger (roundup)

The No. 2 and No. 4 wireless carriers announce a $39 billion merger deal that would create a company with nearly 130 million subscribers, easily leapfrogging Verizon Wireless for the No. 1 spot.

AT&T to FCC: You're totally 'one-sided' on T-Mobile deal Carrier accuses federal regulators of "cherry-picking" some facts, and ignoring others, to push its view that the merger with T-Mobile USA would be bad for the nation. (Posted in Wireless by Roger Cheng) December 1, 2011 10:22 AM PDT

AT&T and Deutsche Telekom discuss a plan B? The Wall Street … Read more

FCC: Ready for reform yet?

commentary In a surprising and disturbing break with long-standing agency practice, the FCC on Tuesday released a draft report on the proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile prepared by its staff--days after the parties withdrew their application with the agency.

The move could fuel calls for serious reform of the agency's increasingly free-wheeling behavior.

The two companies withdrew their application on Thanksgiving, following word that FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski planned to ask the other commissioners to refer the merger to an administrative judge for a hearing.

That step, agency officials made clear, signaled the chairman's belief … Read more

AT&T to FCC: You're totally 'one-sided' on T-Mobile deal

AT&T didn't hold much back in a withering response to the Federal Communications Commission report that slammed its proposed takeover of T-Mobile USA.

The Dallas telecommunications giant, struggling to save its $39 billion deal, called the FCC report "one-sided" and suggested that the regulators went into the process looking to sink the merger.

"The document is so obviously one-sided that any fair-minded person reading it is left with the clear impression that it is an advocacy piece, and not a considered analysis," Jim Cicconi, head of external and legislative affairs for AT&… Read more