- AT&T's (NYSE:T +1.6%) $2.5B purchase of Mexican mobile carrier Iusacell is officially on the books. Ma Bell has used the occasion to reiterate the merger will allow it to offer cross-border mobile services. "It won't matter which country you're in or which country you're calling it will all be one network, one customer experience."
- AT&T has also announced Thaddeus Arroyo, formerly the president of AT&T's Technology Development unit and before that its CIO, will run Iusacell. Adrian Steckel, until now Iusacell's CEO, will "assist Arroyo with the integration of Iusacell into AT&T."
- Separately, Reuters reports China Telecom (CHA -2.2%) is "preparing a possible bid" to build and run a Mexican wholesale mobile network expected to cost $10B over 10 years. The network, mandated by Mexico's 2013 telecom reform bill, aims to allow America Movil's (AMX -0.6%) rivals (such as Iusacell) to provide better coverage without having to rely on AMX, which is still looking for a buyer for the Mexican assets it's shedding to bring its share below 50%.