AT&T acquires CenturyLink's fiber broadband business for $6 billion

In recent months, AT&T announced its intention to acquire CenturyLink's fiber broadband business for $6 billion, an acquisition highlighting the ongoing consolidation within the telecommunications sector. This move comes amid CenturyLink's reluctance to focus on residential broadband, as the company has primarily shifted its resources away from consumer services, opting instead to manage its DSL network, which remains operational but poorly managed according to several customer experiences. With the acquisition, AT&T aims to strengthen its fiber broadband capabilities and expand its market presence in a competitive landscape filled with companies such as Frontier and Verizon, which have also made strategic moves to enhance their fiber networks. However, many customers with CenturyLink's Quantum Fiber service express concerns regarding potential jacked-up prices and diminished customer service quality as AT&T takes over. There is significant speculation about how this acquisition will affect existing customers, particularly regarding their contracts and pricing guarantees. Customers have begun to voice skepticism online regarding AT&T's history of customer service and whether such an acquisition will yield any real benefits for consumers or merely lead to higher prices without improved service. The telecommunications industry is witnessing a trend of larger companies acquiring smaller ones in hopes of improving operational efficiency and service delivery, but analysts remain divided on whether these consolidations ultimately benefit consumers, especially in areas with limited competition.