AT&T cuts controversial policy to seal billion-dollar acquisition

Group 1: Acquisition and Spectrum Licenses - AT&T is pursuing the acquisition of spectrum licenses from a major rival to enhance its competitive position in the market [1] - In November, AT&T agreed to acquire a portion of UScellular's spectrum licenses for over $1 billion, following UScellular's earlier sales to T-Mobile and Verizon [2] - The acquisition is expected to benefit subscribers of AT&T and add a fourth mobile network operator alongside T-Mobile [3] Group 2: Consumer Satisfaction and Market Position - AT&T currently ranks lower in consumer satisfaction for postpaid phone plans, with a score of 573, compared to T-Mobile's 636 and Verizon's 583 [7] - A recent survey indicates that value and service quality are the most important factors influencing consumer satisfaction in the mobile network sector [5] - The average consumer satisfaction score for postpaid plans across mobile network operators is 593 [7] Group 3: Regulatory Approval and Strategic Changes - The Federal Communications Commission approved the AT&T and UScellular deal on December 3, but AT&T had to drop its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program to secure this approval [6] - AT&T stated that it is realigning its priorities and budgets to focus on expanding 5G and fiber connectivity for customers [7]