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Cingular Completes Merger With AT&T Wireless
ATLANTA -- The merger of Cingular Wireless LLC and AT&T Wireless Services Inc. is now complete, thus creating the biggest wireless carrier with the largest digital voice and data network in the country, officials announced earlier today. The newly combined company has more than 46 million customers and an extensive nationwide network. The company will continue to be headquartered hereCingular Wireless is a joint venture between SBC Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp.Under terms of the agreement, AT&T Wireless shareholders will receive $15 per common share, or approximately $41 billion. "We are committed to improving the wireless experience and giving customers the coverage, the phones, the capabilities and the call clarity they deserve," said Stan Sigman, president and chief executive officer of Cingular. "We are also committed to expanding our high-speed Third Generation services to the ever-growing community of mobile data users. And Cingular is laying the foundation to enable rural carriers to bring 3G services to rural America."Cingular will begin opening access to both the Cingular and AT&T Wireless GSM networks to further improve coverage, allowing customers of both companies to use the new, combined network without roaming charges. Customers also will have the ability to make unlimited mobile-to-mobile calls to any Cingular or AT&T Wireless customer, Sigman said.The combined company also will greatly expand its global capabilities, ultimately offering customers the largest international coverage of any U.S. carrier, Sigman said. Customers can use their "world phones" to make calls on six continents and in more than 100 countries. In addition, General Packet Radio Service data roaming will be available in more than 50 countries for laptops, PDAs and other data devices.Cingular soon will start communicating with customers through advertising, and direct communications channels. "We are working to make this transition as seamless as possible for customers of AT&T Wireless," Sigman said. "They can continue using their existing phones and rate plans, but now have access to the largest digital voice and data network in the country.""