AT&T announced in early November 2014 that it had agreed to acquire Mexican carrier Iusacell, and today Ol’ Blue revealed that that purchase has closed.
AT&T has completed its $2.5 billion acquisition of Iusacell, giving it all of Iusacell’s wireless licenses, network assets, retail stores, and 9.2 million subscribers. Iusacell’s network covers nearly three-fourths of Mexico’s 120 million citizens.
AT&T says that it will use Iusacell’s assets to build “the first-ever North American Mobile Service area” that will cover more than 400 million people and business in both the U.S. and Mexico. “It won’t matter which country you’re in or which country you’re calling — it will all be one network, one customer experience,” explained AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson. AT&T also sees its acquisition of Iusacell as a chance to increase smartphone adoption and mobile internet usage in Mexico.
This deal sounds nice for AT&T customers, especially those that frequently travel to Mexico or have family there, as it should make using AT&T devices in Mexico and making calls there easier than ever. There’s no word on exactly when AT&T will begin to integrate Iusacell into its own company, but AT&T has put together a team to aid in the effort.