Financial Times: AT&T and Verizon to buy Vodafone
![Financial Times: AT&T and Verizon to buy Vodafone](https://m-cdn.phonearena.com/images/article/41472-wide-two_350/Financial-Times-AT-T-and-Verizon-to-buy-Vodafone.jpg?1364921160)
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
source: FinancialTimes (subscription req'd), GIGaom via CNET
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