What are people saying about AT&T's proposed purchase of T-Mobile?

The FCC recently opened a proceeding to solicit public comments on whether the agency should approve AT&T's proposed $39 billion purchase of T-Mobile USA. The proceeding likely will draw comments from a range of high-profile entities--Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) has already loudly signaled its opposition to the deal--but the proceeding is open to anyone, from mammoth telecom companies to individual wireless subscribers.

Indeed, anyone can use the FCC's online filing system to submit comments to the agency on a range of topics, and a handful of individuals have already made use of the function to submit to the FCC their opinion of AT&T's (NYSE:T) proposed takeover of T-Mobile. And while the comments of trade groups, companies and political organizations likely will carry more weight with the agency once they are filed, it's nonetheless interesting to peruse the initial batch of comments filed by individuals in the proceeding so far--misspellings and all.

Thus, here is a selection of some of the key reactions by individuals filed so far in the FCC's AT&T-T-Mobile proceeding (and don't forget to tell us what you think):

I am AGAINST the proposed merger of AT&T with T Mobile. The merger will result in much higher costs for T Mobile customers for the same or reduced service. Also T Mobile customers with 3G or 4G phones will be forced to get rid of those phones as they do not work on the proposed AT&T network, again costing consumers more money. T Mobile has budget friendly plans which service lower income earners while AT&T does not." --Olivia Borgerding, Virginia Beach, Va.

I object to the merger of ATT and T-Mobile as it will create a monopoly in GSM based telephone service in the USA. As President of a travel company we require mobile telephone service that works worldwide. The only two carriers offering that GSM based mobile telephone services are ATT and TMobile. I was a customer of ATT and recently left as I got a better deal on cost of plan and cost of telephone instruments from T-Mobile. Verizon, Sprint and the other carriers are based on a different technology that does not work worldwide so I am limited to ATT or T-Mobile if I want a telephone that works in the USA, Europe, the Caribbean and other places besides the USA. For the reason a pure Monopoly pricing power by ATT in GSM based mobile telephone services in the United States I am asking that you deny the merger of T-Mobile and ATT. Monopoly pricing power by vendors is one of the factors inhibiting job creation in America so I implore the FCC to keep two vendors in GSM telephone services in the United States and deny this merger." --John Rice, president of Market Access Promotions Inc. dba Vacation Tour & Cruise, Tampa, Fla.

It was bad enough to allow Sirius and XM radios to combine into a monopoly (do you notice all the adverising on these paidfor stations), now there is more trouble on the horizon. If you allow AT&T to buy T-mobile, then you help to create a cellular company bigger then Verizon. This then results in two huge companies and some smaller ones ( like Sprint). As a former manager of K-marts, I and you know what happens when a corporation gets too large. Competition can be stifled legally. How long will these smaller cellular providers last after that merger?" --John Cipolletti, Dearborn Heights, Mich.

On the subject of the transfer of control of T-mobile from Deutsche Telekom to AT&T a critical factor should be the consumer's coverage range and not the narrow view of consumer market by residence or place of business. This merger is not about fixed land lines but about mobile devices. Market is no longer the consumer's residence or place of business but the consumer's travel range. Choice involves the ability to chose a provider for whom there will reliable non-roaming coverage across the broadest region in which the consumer is likely to travel. This merger will significantly reduce the number of choices a consumer not bound to a major urban center has for a broad coverage provider." --Gregory Stiegler, Warrington, Pa.

I vote NO on the AT&T merger with T-Mobile." --Lois Hoskins, South Colby, Wash.