We’ve been hearing a lot of buzz from those in the wireless world that T-Mobile employees are dreading the day their company is finally acquired by AT&T and they start reporting for work at the Death Star. But while most of T-Mobile’s 38,000 staffers have been reluctant to say anything bad publicly about their future overlords, one employee pulled no punches in detailing their feelings about the merger. [More]
murders and executions
Capital One Tries, Fails To Allay Fears Of ING Direct Customers
By 6.22.11
When we first reported that Capital One would be purchasing online bank ING Direct, the response from ING customers was overwhelmingly negative with some variation on “noooooo” being a common comment. But lest you think everyone at Cap One is a barbarian (and/or viking), a rep for the perennial Worst Company In America contestant talked to the NY Times to allay ING customers’ fears about their new overlords. [More]
Today Is The Last Day To Tell The FCC How You Feel About The AT&T/T-Mobile Merger
By 6.20.11
While AT&T’s pending purchase of T-Mobile may still be many, many months away from a final ruling by the Federal Communications Commission and Justice Department, today is the deadline for members of the public to add their comments to the FCC record. [More]
Report: Capital One To Buy ING Direct For $9 Billion
By 6.16.11
The barbarians at Capital One have reportedly laid siege to the ING castle and are prepared to take control of online bank ING Direct, a move that would allow Cap One to leapfrog over the head of several competitors. [More]
Sprint Officially Asks FCC To Block AT&T Purchase Of T-Mobile
By 6.1.11
Since AT&T announced its plans to purchase T-Mobile USA for around $39 billion, the folks at Sprint have been quite public about their opposition to the deal, taking out mocking ads and testifying before lawmakers in Washington. Yesterday, Sprint made its stance official, filing a “Petition to Deny” the deal with the Federal Communications Commission. [More]
DOJ Gives Thumbs Up To Southwest's Purchase Of AirTran
By 4.27.11
Seems like it was just seven months ago that we first wrote about the proposed sale of AirTran to Southwest Airlines for $1.4 billion. Now that deal is all but done after it passed the Justice Department’s antitrust review yesterday. [More]
Dish Network Wins Blockbuster For $320 Million At Auction, Swears It Was Just Raising Its Hand To Wave To A Friend
By 4.6.11
Blockbuster Video — or rather the assets of Blockbuster — now have a new owner after Dish Network won what’s left of the beleaguered video rental company for around $320 million at auction. [More]
At Least One FCC Commissioner Thinks AT&T/T-Mobile Deal Won't Be A Cakewalk
By 4.1.11
With the pending $39 billion sale of T-Mobile to AT&T heading toward review by the various regulatory bodies involved, there is at least one senior FCC commissioner who thinks it might not be so easy for the deal to go down. Of course, he was the one commissioner who voted against the NBC/Comcast deal. [More]
Anheuser-Busch Picks Up Six-Pack Of Goose Island For $39 Million
By 3.28.11
Fans of Chicago-based brewery Goose Island have reason for concern after today’s announcement that Anheuser-Busch InBev is set to purchase the company in a deal worth $38.8 million. [More]
Sale Of AirTran To Southwest One Step Closer To Being A Done Deal
By 3.25.11
Overshadowed by last year’s relatively rapid merger of United and Continental was the sale of AirTran to Southwest. That sale is now one big step away from completion after AirTran shareholders approved the deal earlier this week. [More]
Walgreens Does Some Online Shopping, Picks Up Drugstore.com For $429 Million
By 3.24.11
After taking over New York City with its purchase of Duane Reade drugstores last year, Walgreens has made a move to dominate the online market with its plan to buy Drugstore.com for around $429 million. [More]
Consumers Union: Hard To See Benefit Of AT&T And T-Mobile Deal
By 3.21.11
As we wrote yesterday, telecom giant AT&T is planning to pay $39 billion to acquire competing mobile carrier T-Mobile USA. And while the Death Star stands to benefit from the inherited 30 million subscribers and expanded network it will inherit, is there anything to be gained by the cellphone-using public? [More]
Twitter: Google Isn't Trying To Buy Us For $10 Billion
By 2.14.11
It was recently reported that Google is in the market to buy Twitter and that the price tag floating around for the company was somewhere in the $8-10 billion range. But today, Twitter’s CEO denied those reports — sort of. [More]
Is Twitter Worth $10 Billion?
By 2.10.11
A lot of people expressed surprise at the $315 million purchase of Huffington Post by AOL. But that’s nothing compared to the figures Facebook and Google are reportedly considering ponying up to acquire Twitter. [More]
AOL To Buy Huffington Post For $315 Million
By 2.7.11
In an effort to put more original content on its network — and ad revenue in its pockets — AOL announced today that it will be purchasing popular news and opinion site HuffingtonPost.com for a princely sum of around $315 million. [More]
Comcast Political Giving Up 61% Since Announcing NBC Deal
By 10.19.10
Since reaching a deal to buy NBC Universal in Dec. 2009, Comcast has increased its PAC contributions to election campaigns by 61% over the amount it gave in the same period leading up to the 2008 elections. [More]
FCC Questions Slow Down NBC/Comcast Merger Express
By 10.5.10
Unlike the recent United/Continental merger, which blazed through its regulatory hurdles like something that goes really fast through something else, the marriage of NBC Universal and Comcast isn’t moving as speedily. Yesterday, the FCC hit both bride and groom with a handful of questions it wants answered before giving its blessing to the union. [More]
Continental & United Make Their Union Official
By 10.1.10
Just two weeks after shareholders for both United and Continental Airlines gave their blessing, the two carriers snuck off to city hall this morning to officially say “I do” so they can get around to screwing… up the airline industry. [More]
