Financial Times: AT&T and Verizon to buy Vodafone

According to the Financial Times, which is considered the financial bible in Europe just as the Wall Street Journal is given that title in the U.S., Verizon and AT&T are pooling their resources to purchase European carrier Vodafone for $245 billion. Consider that only 39 countries in the world have a larger economy, and you can see just how big this deal is. Wireless Intelligence ranks Verizon, Vodafone and AT&T as the world's second, third and fourth largest carriers respectively.

Those with knowledge of the deal say that Verizon and AT&T will offer $3.93 a share for Vodafone's stock which would be a 40% premium to the current value of the shares. According to the source, Verizon would acquire the 45% stake in the company owned by Vodafone and AT&T would get the operations outside the U.S. Vodafone currently has 403 million subscribers and operates globally with a focus on Europe.

If the rumor is true, it would mean that all four major U.S. carriers would be involved in a deal at the same time. The third largest carrier, Sprint, is looking to close a deal that would see 70% of the company purchased by Japan's Softbank. Number four T-Mobile is a stockholder vote away from closing its deal to purchase number five MetroPCS. The latter's stockholders are voting on the deal next week.

source: FinancialTimes (subscription req'd), GIGaom via CNET