Verizon Wireless completes Alltel acquisition
Verizon Wireless announced on Friday that it has completed its acquisition of Alltel. Verizon paid $5.9 billion for the equity of Alltel and assumed all of Alltel’s approximately $22.2 billion in debt. Verizon will gain an additional 12.9 million customers, making Verizon the largest wireless carrier in the US with 83.7 million total customers. Verizon will maintain the Alltel brand and customers of Alltel will retain their current handsets and calling plans during the transition. Verizon will notify customers about changes that will impact future service so we assume at some point Alltel customers will have to forfeit their Alltel plan and select one of Verizon’s calling and/or data plans. Most customers will be able to keep their current handsets after the transition since both networks support the same CDMA technology. Verizon will also maintain Alltel’s existing GSM networks. Re-branding will begin in Q2 2009 and will continue through Q3 2009. No imminent layoffs were announced but the press release states:
Alltel employees below executive level will continue in their present jobs as Verizon Wireless assesses staffing needs required to best serve customers and achieve synergies.
When a company starts throwing around buzz words like “assess staffing needs” and “achieve synergies”, you can assume that layoffs will be announced at some point before the merger and re-branding is complete. As part of the conditions of the merger, Verizon Wireless will also divest overlapping properties in 105 markets that span 24 states and will affect nearly 2.1 million customers. When all is said and done, some of you will be leaving Verizon and a whole bunch of you will be joining Verizon. if you’re among those who will be affected, let us know in the comments if you are pleased, disappointed or ambivalent about the impending changes to your cellular service.
If they’re smart (not likely) they would merge some plans. Offer everyone either INcalling or my circle.
I’m with Verizon — switched from Sprint to get the Storm — and I just want 7 p.m. nights, which I think Alltel has. That’s about the only thing I miss from Sprint. I read somewhere that Verizon is actually considering a version of the My Circle plan, which struck me as odd because some bloggers were saying that contributed to Alltel’s financial woes. We’ll see.
I want to see how this will work, lil blue had/has 3 versions of My Circle. Is Big Red going to adopt any, some type of hybrid, one or all of them?
Sorry NOThtckid but your wrong. If you read the press release on Alltel’s website it says that Alltel customers will retain their contracts until there contract is up and that ALL Alltel customer will get IN network calling as soon as the networks merge billing system. My friend that works at Alltel told me that the have already merged billing syatems. My friend that is a manager at Verizon backed him up.
Alltel was a great price-slasher for excellent service whereas Verizon charges crazy prices for good service. It’s too bad Alltel was bought out, they were what America needs right now, a little more competition in this monopolistic business so that we stop getting ripped by companies like Verizon. T-Mobile being the second good price-slasher but service isn’t as reliable…
I switched from Verizon three years ago because their customer service and plan choices were terrible. Alltel has been great and I am sorely disappointed to find myself once again a Verizon customer. My contract expired a year ago so I may check out T-Mobile and other carriers unless Verizon has greatly changed the way they treat their customers.
well concidering the fact that i switched from verizon to alltel was because verizon was charging me for stuff i never even used on the phone such as internet or being used as a modem for my computer i already have internet in the first place. Alltel may not have the best signal coverage in the south NM area but i can say i have been very pleased with the prices. the circle is wonderful as well it won’t run my bill if i have to talk to a client or something for 15 hours (yes its been done) or going over on texting verizon doesn’t have that however i think thats why verizon is buying them out, due to the fact that alltel HAS the circle and is restricted if i’m not mistaken and t-mobile has their FAV’s yet alltel still has service in the small towns alot like Verizon. verizon sucks due to billing setup yet rocks due to signal service in the middle of no where alltel sucks due to signal but rocks due to its awesome prices for the monthly bill (averagin 120 per month) won’t see me complaining anymore!!!
so do you think verizon will get any of alltel’s phones? that would be great.
Verizon hasnt said what its doing so everyone (for the most part) is full of bull. Verizon can not force them out of their plans without allowing them to cancel for free. Any “granfathered” bs you heard is for features which are not considered part of the contract and therefore can be changed without breaking the contract. From an economic stand point a company with over 80 million customers can not effectively afford to offer a “my circle.” Why do you think alltel was in debt for $20 billion and was only worth $8 billion? They same reason why Verizon wont offer nights at 7PM. As far as Verizon caring about $$$. Thats what every company cares about.
What happens if you have a pre-paid, day by day plan on Alltel? Will the phone just stop working? Will you have to buy one of Verizon plans? Or will you be able to stay on your pre-paid?
ughh!!
i absolutely hate Verizon
their service is horrible
their prices are absurd
i miss alltel!!!!
this is the first month that our bill was totally overpriced
cant wait for December
when our contract ends
verizon sucks
I also miss alltel:( verizon service is way over priced, even there land line is crazy high!!!! THE HELL WITH VERIZON IM GOING TO SPRINT OR NTELOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!