The proposed merger of the AT&T and T-Mobile wireless carriers has generated lots of comments both for and against. Today the Bursor and Fisher law firm launched a web site called FightTheMerger.com that"s designed to get people who are against these two companies getting together to sign up for a class action lawsuit. The lawyers are claiming that if successful, people who are AT&T customers that are a part of the lawsuit might be able to get a $10,000 payment from AT&T.
The web site gives some familiar reasons why the law firm is against the merger, saying that the combo of AT&T and T-Mobile will give AT&T and its biggest rival Verizon control of 80 percent of the wireless market in the US. It states such a situation will , " ... stifle the competitive market forces that would otherwise help to keep prices down, and would stifle new products and innovation." It adds, "AT&T"s claim that the takeover will help improve network quality makes no sense. T-Mobile"s network overlaps almost entirely AT&T"s. And AT&T already has more spectrum than any other company. In most areas, AT&T already holds at least 40 MHz of spectrum it is not even using. AT&T is keeping that spectrum off the market, which prevents competitors from using it to provide better service at lower prices."
So where does the $10,000 come from? The web site states, "Section 2.2 of AT&T"s Wireless Customer Agreement includes an Arbitration Agreement that provides for a $10,000 payment to customers who prevail at arbitration, in certain circumstances."