A call for Action about ATT takeover of T-Mobile

[Armstead]

This is an e-mail I received from Save the Internet ( http://www.savetheinternet.com ).

Thought it was worth sharing. (Since this is a publicity release, including the whole thing)

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Guess what?

AT&T’s plan to take over T-Mobile is about gouging consumers, destroying a competitor and firing an estimated 20,000 American workers.

We at Free Press have warned about this from day one. Now, one of AT&T's own lawyers has confirmed it. He inadvertently leaked a letter that reveals the merger has nothing to do with expanding AT&T’s coverage to 97 percent of the country – the main argument the company has made to gain Washington’s support – and everything to do with eliminating the cheaper T-Mobile option from the marketplace (and laying off half of its workforce) to pad company profits.1, 2

The truth is out. Every AT&T argument about the supposed benefits of this merger has now been proven wrong.3 As AT&T’s case unravels, we must keep up the pressure and urge Washington to stop supporting a deal that is so harmful to workers, consumers and our economy:

Tell President Obama to Speak Out Against AT&T’s Job-Killing Merger

President Obama has repeatedly called creating jobs his "singular focus." If the White House signals to the FCC and the Department of Justice that this deal should go through, Obama will be breaking that pledge. Please add your name to our letter and then share via Facebook so others can expose AT&T’s deception.

Last week, 32 respected industry analysts said in a survey that the deal now has less than a 50-percent chance of gaining regulatory approval. That’s a huge shift in momentum against this merger.4

Unless we act now on this momentum, the facts won't matter. AT&T writes more checks In Washington than any other company. (It has spent $200 million on lobbyists and campaign contributions over the years and gives more than $60 million a year to not-for-profit groups, many of whom have lent their name to letters in support of the merger.)5, 6

Regulators now have all the evidence they need to block this deal. If they ignore the public’s outcry and approve the merger, we'll have no clearer example of industry influence in Washington — where well-financed fictions trump reality.

It’s time for President Obama to step up and stop AT&T's charade:

Tell Obama: AT&T’s Merger Is Built on Lies and Will Cost 20,000 American Jobs

Everyone in Washington must know that the price of approving this deal is too high. We need to remind President Obama that if this deal goes through, we’ll hold him and Congress responsible for higher prices, less choice and tens of thousands of lost American jobs.

Thank you for taking action.

Timothy Karr
Campaign Director
Free Press
www.freepress.net
www.savetheinternet.com

1. Karl Bode, “Leaked AT&T Letter Demolishes Case For T-Mobile Merger,” DSL Reports, Aug. 12, 2011: http://act2.freepress.net/go/5576?akid=2759.9827464.q2sZXe&t=9

2. Dave Saldana, "AT&T Takeover of T-Mobile Won't Create New Jobs,” Other Words, Aug. 15, 2011: http://act2.freepress.net/go/5606?akid=2759.9827464.q2sZXe&t=11

3. Free Press, "Five Myths about AT&T’s Takeover of T-Mobile:" (pdf) http://act2.freepress.net/go/5048?akid=2759.9827464.q2sZXe&t=13

4. Todd Shields and Sara Forden, “AT&T Seeks to Bolster T-Mobile Case as Doubts Rise in Poll,” Business Week, Aug. 12, 2011: http://act2.freepress.net/go/5605?akid=2759.9827464.q2sZXe&t=15

5. Influence Explorer, “AT&T Inc. Contributions,” http://act2.freepress.net/go/5577?akid=2759.9827464.q2sZXe&t=17

6. Eliza Krigman, “AT&T Gave Cash to Merger Backers,” Politico, June 10, 2011: http://act2.freepress.net/go/4497?akid=2759.9827464.q2sZXe&t=19

[Dawson Leery]

1. k/r

[truebrit71]

2. I am a long-time T-Mobile user and HATE the fact that AT&T/NSA might come in and ruin things...

...I have never had a problem with the service, the phones, the plans or the people that work there...If I wanted shitty service with dropped calls and an internet plan that was too expensive and too slow I would have picked AT&T in the first place...

I really hope this deal does NOT get approved...