NewsVerizon Wireless to Acquire Alltel
With leaked reports coming in of Verizon Wireless acquiring Alltel, it has been made official that the deal will go through for $28.1 billion creating the largest wireless company in the U.S. in customer numbers by putting Verizon at 80 million over AT&T’s 71 million.
The cash merger is a result of Verizon acquiring the equity of Alltel for about $5.9 billion and the net debt of $22.2 billion. The merger is expected to come full circle by the end of 2008 if the regulatory approvals go as planned.
The result of the merger will leave the customers with an expanded IN calling network and Alltel’s customers will have the option of downloading music over the air from the 3 million song library along with Verizon’s unique 30 day network trial policy. Not only will Alltel benefit from consumer oriented practices, they will be able to take advantage of the LTE technology which will put Verizon into the 4th generation line up in the next few years.
On the other hand, Verizon will benefit by penetrating the 57 markets that Alltel operates in and the 13 million customers that they service in 34 states. With both of the companies using a similar network, the transition will be easier for the customers and beneficial to both companies.
Alltel’s President and CEO, Scott Ford, will remain in his position until the merger is complete.
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alltel customers also lose my circle, unlimited internet, crippled ui less minutes for more money, less reception, and not has good quality customers service. there was a reason I switch to alltel.
This is not cool. Verizon needs to adopt some alltel cunsumer friendly ideas. Or I’m bailing. Capping the internet is bogus. What is this… 1994??
Verizon needs to continuing offering what Alltel it is offering , cuz thats why i got Alltel because of my circle option
now verizon can force their HORRIBLE user interface onto alltel customers. everybody wins…
this could be crazy talk…but…with this merger, we could be looking at the finger on the trigger for the “t-mobile/sprint merger”. i mean, with the proposed success of such a buyout, deutsche telekom may want to jump on the trail a bit sooner…maybe
Sprint/T-Mobile maybe on the verge but it’s very complicated compared to Verizon/Alltel. Do you buy Sprint’s CDMA only, IDEN only or both? The network still isn’t compatible with itself let alone with GSM. Sprint’s future is WiMax on their XOHM network which is their joint venture with Clearwire and other partners. That maybe where Sprint is headed and if so their CDMA and/or IDEN networks/customer base will be easier to acquire for a prospecting company. However, these variables are probably already being discussed by Sprint and T-Mobile/Deutsche Telekom. However in the next 3-5 years we might be down to 2 carriers in the US (AT&T and Verizon).
Alltel will still be Alltel!!! Verizon it NOT takeing over to be just Verizon, It just a merger and it will be good for Verizon they will have better service useing there network. You will still have the same great Alltel service and dont worrie about your plans changeing it will be the same! There will still be Alltel stores!! Verizon needs better service, hopefully maybe they will get good customer service.
I strongly doubt Verizon would continue to use the Alltel brand for any prolonged period. Certainly the Alltel brand will continue to be used until proper migration strategies are established to incorporate Alltel customers into the Verizon system.
The alltel name will be gone in two years or less. Sad but true.
I’m not very happy with the merger. That is the reason I am with Alltel because Verizon charges its customers for every since thing. I’m not very happy, unless Verizon keeps some of the plans that Alltel has when Alltel bought out Cellular One. It would a great thing if they did something like that then maybe I’ll stay with them. If not then I’m heading over to Sprint/Nextel. I know that they are great with their customers like Alltel is.
It will be great when they merge, Verizon was rated the #1 network for years now. They invest more money into thier company than almost all other networks combined. With this, it will not only be the best but the largest, Verizon is a little pricey, but they have great customer service………………..
With Verizon, everytime you changed your service level (e.g., minutes) you restart a new 2-yr contract so you could end up not being able to upgrade any phone in your family plan for 4 years! That’s why we left Verizon and switched to Alltel. Logic is lost on Verizon and they’d rather lose customers than admit their policies are plain dumb. If I’m going get poor service, I can also do that with AT&T and at least be able to use an iPhone. Hmmm . . .
I am a alltel custormer because Verizon dosen’t pick up where I need it to (like at Home). I like the freedom of the prepaid service and wonder what will happen to it and my reception with this merger. I can only hope that nothing will change, but I kindof doubt it. I am not a fan of verizon, my 2 years with them was full of no service in the areas that I needed it and high cost for no more than I used the phone…
wht will become of alltelu if da merger goes on will i have pay-per-day plan that goes great with my life style. and will i be able to call verizon callers 4 free. will their be more that i benifit from da merger. we prepaid callers r in the dark we need awnsers………
I have had the absolute worst time with alltel. i never seem to have service, my text messages never go through and at least half of my calls are dropped. In my area the towers are constantly down and it’s a huge hinderance. I could be sitting on the couch in my house not touching my phone and the service will jump from full to nothing to a couple of bars to full again and back to no service…..i hope this change makes everything less frustrating..
I have been a verizon wireless customer for two years and I admit I have had troubles. The biggest problem though is a border battle between Verizon and AT&T from MN to ND. We can’t go with AT&T because they don’t have towers in ND and we go over there often and we have really poor coverage from Verizon because we are only in their extended service area and our phones are constantly trying to switch towers or we get dropped. For us, we have to try to pick the best of the worst.
Oh, and Verizon has gotten rid of their rule about having to renew your contract every time you change plans. That is no longer true and if you think you are stuck to that, call and ask because you can probably get out of it without penalty.
I am thinking about going to alltel to get their alltel u-pay-per-day prepaid plan. After the merger, what will happen to this plan? will that plan still be there under verizons name?
or will alltel and verizon join together but alltel still operate as normal
Does anyone kno… WIll alltel phones be available to verizon customers, or same with verizon phones to alltel people???
I was wondering if ALL of the ALLTEL stores will become Verizon Wireless. Being that i live in the small town of Baraboo, WI i am excited about the merge because i can triple my coverage and finally call family out of state that uses Verizon. See we get US cellular and Alltel in our area now. when i signed up before Alltel was just moving into Baraboo, WI and wasn’t set up yet so the coverage wasn’t there like i was told so i went US cellular. now my contracts up and i want to switch. Verizon is not in my area yet but it kinda works. I was wondering what i should do? sign up with alltel because it’s here now or try Verizon and deal with it until it comes to Baraboo, WI more. If the merge goes through like it should i want Verizon i just don’t want to get stuck by making the wrong decision then having to change phones in acouple of months or something.
Rosi i talked to customer service and the companies must remain seperate at this time. They are calling it a merger but really Verizon bought Alltel. it’s the same technology so it should work fine to use an Alltel Phone on the Verizon network if this all goes through ok. you can use either phone on any of the towers. once they switch there wont be an Alltel to buy from though. they say they honor the rest of your contract through Alltel so it will be the same price and plan you have at the time. once it’s up though you would have to switch. I hope that helps. i am gathering the info to. In my area they have Alltel but not Verizon wireless at the moment.
Educate yourselves before commenting. Verizon no longer requires a new two year contract for upgrades or changes to plans. The two companies use identical technology wich will allow the network to expand at a very low cost. The best qualities of both companies will be unitied and everyone will benefit. For those concerned about losing “My circle”, don’t sweat the small stuff. IN calling shares the same idea and with the expanded network a Verizon customer will be IN with almost everyone.
Maybe we should all go buy a few shares of Verizon Stock!
I have been with Alltel and Verizon. I am currently with Verizon. I have been for the past 5 years and I can truly say the customer service with Verizon is the best I have had. Calls are clear. Unless i’m in a very rural area I don’t ever have a dropped call, and coverage is great. I live in South Carolina and Verizon works great all around my area. I was with Alltel for 5 years and I wasn’t happy at all. That was 2003 when I switched though. I really like the My Circle plan they offer but otherwise Verizon has a great plan that is truly reliable in my opinion. Maybe Verizon will keep the My Circle plan after the merger is done. They may need it keep Alltel customers from running to AT&T or Sprint. After all, Verizon needs as many Alltel subscribers as it can keep or the merger won’t be as profitable as they hoped it would be.
Ok, I was just wondering.. Are we (alltel customers) going to be able to keep our phones or do we have to upgrade to a different phone?? Does anyone know?
I was told by Alltel customer service that you keep your phones and plans throughout your contract then when you resign you will be with Verizon.
It sounds like an easy merge really. i hope my hometown gets Verizon. I live in WI and there will still be competition. my brother lives in another state and has verizon so it will be so nice to have IN calling..
Is IN calling free calling for you and the other person no matter who calls or recieves the call or does only one person get the deal? My friends think it works both ways. that will be great.
I got Alltel because of the pay per month pre-pay plan for $69.99 700 minutes, unlm night/weekend, unlm text and $5.99 a month for unlm internet access. I want to know if verizon is going to kick this plan and do thier ****** up inpulse plan?
Please .. I am a verizon customer .. And in calling is no where near as good as my circle .. in calling is only for the verizon network .. My circle you can choose from other networks .. if verizon is smart and not greedy as they normaly are .. they will keep my circle .. But chances are they will be stupid and try to push in calling and lose most of the alltell customers ..
I have verizon and in the area of SC I live Alltel has more towers than verizon and before verzion came back into the area I had better coverage. But when I’m on the road going back to NC I have great coverage, so now with the buy out I hope my coverage around the house will be better. Hope than verizon will make the in network for all call’s not just there network, and lower there rates.
I’ve had both alltel and verizon, I personally like alltel better and it makes me sick to think of having to go back to verizon for any reason what so ever