AT&T UPBEAT ABOUT FCC APPROVAL OF BELLSOUTH MERGER, CFO SAYS

摘要

AT&T is so confident its BellSouth acquisition will get FCC approval Nov. 3 that it's beginning to combine the companies, said AT&T CFO Rick Lindner. 揟he timing is right for the BellSouth and Cingular integration process?to begin in the next few weeks, he said, adding the company is 揷learly ahead of our original schedule?on achieving financial synergies from SBC抯 takeover of the old AT&T. The consolidated company saw a Q3 pro forma year-over-year profit rise of 74% to $2.17 billion, and revenue was up almost as sharply. There aren't any 揷ompetitive issues?in the BellSouth merger, Lindner said, which is 搘hy 18 states and the DoJ approved it without conditions.?/font>