Pending approval from the FCC, AT&T will become the largest wireless carrier in the U.S. with the acquisition of T-Mobile. At present, AT&T is the second-largest wireless carrier and T-Mobile is the fourth-largest carrier.

After doing some reading about the potential benefits as well as the possible pitfalls, here are some prevailing facts and opinions I’ve encountered.

How Will The Merger Affect You?

That depends on who you are.

If you are living in a rural area with limited cell phone service, AT&T plus T-Mobile might equal better reception.

Those in favor of the merger state that AT&T is going to get serious about expanding infrastructure to rural areas if AT&T’s acquisition of T-Mobile goes through. In a press release, AT&T talked about,  “a significant expansion of robust 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) deployment to 95 percent of the U.S. population to reach an additional 46.5 million Americans beyond current plans – including rural communities and small towns,” adding that, “This helps achieve the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and President Obama’s goals to connect “every part of America to the digital age.”

Critics claim, however, that the company is making empty promises to get the merger approved and that there is truly no real plan in place.

Should you happen to be a current T-Mobile customer you may be facing increased rates due to lack of competition between carriers.

According to Gigaom, “The biggest losers of this deal are going to be the consumers. While AT&T and T-Mobile are going to try to spin it as a good deal to combine wireless spectrum assets, the fact is, T-Mobile USA is now out of the market.” The article goes on to state that as a smaller company T-Mobile often offered cheaper voice and data plans in order to remain competitive. With the proposed merger, the playing field will be reduced to AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint. The result could mean less need to for competing, lower rates.

What do you think about the AT&T/T-Mobile merger?

Linda! Congratulations, you have won an iPod touch! Thanks for your feedback and we’re glad you’re enjoying using CheckBook 🙂 Thanks to everyone who submitted an entry!

The Final lucky finalist in our contest to win an iPod touch is….dramatic suspense…Christopher! Here’s what he had to stay about Audiobook Builder:

” I once listened to Stewart Onan’s novel Last Night at the Lobster with the tracks in the wrong order.

The story kept shifting times and locations, but I thought Onan had just written it that way. Another time, I skipped an entire disk in Edward Rutherfurd’s Princes of Ireland without knowing it. I just thought the plot was speeding up, until one character never returned. And I can’t tell you how many chapters I’ve heard two or three times because I either couldn’t find my place or remember if I’d heard that bit yet.

With Audiobook Builder my reading has become less abstract, less Dada, more whole, less jumpy. If a book confuses or loses me, I can just stop listening—then pick it up later, without having lost my place.

Since I do a lot of my audiobook listening while cleaning or shopping or waiting for my kids’ school bus, having books in single long files I can pause at will is not just convenient—it makes the difference between me able to listen at all, rather than having to opt for something more mindless.

If I’m out walking for an hour, I’ve heard a chapter or two and accomplished something. I spend a whole lot less time wandering around aimlessly, ear-wise, thanks to Audiobook Builder.”

Congratulations, Christopher! You have won a Splasm T-shirt AND you now have a 1 in 5 chance of winning an iPod touch this Tuesday, March 15th 2011.

The fourth finalist in the drawing to win an iPod touch AND a winner of a Splasm T-shirt is…Michael!

“I saw you’re iPod Giveaway in the Winter newsletter and thought I’d drop you guy’s a line.

I purchased CheckBook a few years ago when I first switched my home computer to the Mac from windows. At the time I was using a older version of Quicken just to keep a ledger of my bank accounts and wanted something simple and powerful to use on my Mac for the same purpose.

After trying several different pieces of software, each more expensive than the last, I ran across CheckBook. After using the trial product for several days I found it was the ONLY application I had used that would import the quicken files accurately. As an added benefit it looks great and is really speedy.

Since then I’ve never had a problem with my accounts and have even started using some of the reporting features to take a look at where my money is going.

After a while I took a look at your website and discovered something that made my purchase even better, you guy’s are located right down the street from where I work and live; right here in Birmingham, Alabama. I supported our local economy without even knowing it! Thanks for your hard work; keep it up and I’ll be a loyal customer for life!” Michael

Congratulations, Michael! Tomorrow we will announce the fifth and last finalist to be entered in a drawing to win an iPod touch on March 15th 2011.

Our third finalist to win a Splasm T-shirt and a chance to win an iPod touch is…Linda! Here’s what she wrote about using CheckBook:

“I actually don’t know how I kept track of our finances before CheckBook….oh, wait…I didn’t!

Used to overdraft and never knew where I was but since CheckBook I enter all the days transactions and never have a problem now.

I can even schedule billpay on my bank site and then schedule in CheckBook and bills are done for the month.

Thank you, thank you for making this financially inept grandma into the family star”. Linda Webber

You’re welcome, thanks for contacting us! We will send your Splasm Tee soon. Good Luck in the drawing March 15th!