AT&T Inc. (T) plans to shake up the U.S. wireless landscape with a
$39 billion cash and stock deal to buy Deutsche Telekom AG's (DT)
T-Mobile USA, the companies said Sunday.

AT&T will pay $25 billion in cash and the rest in stock, with
Deutsche Telekom getting an 8% stake in the U.S. company and a board
seat.

WHAT IT MEANS

The deal, if approved by regulators, will see AT&T topple Verizon
Wireless -- the joint venture of Vodafone Group PLC (VOD) and Verizon
Communications (VZ) -- as the largest mobile carrier in the U.S., with
nearly 130 million customers.

Randall Stephenson was known as a finance whiz before 2007, when he
became CEO of AT&T. But the telecommunications giant needs its Oklahoma City-born chief to display some country charm as he leads the most important sales campaign of his career.