Cingular name change to ATT

SBC, which closed its merger with AT&T on Friday [Nov 18th], plans to sell Cingular Wireless under the fabled AT&T name, Ed Whitacre, the chairman and CEO of the combined company, has confirmed to USA TODAY. Cingular, the USA's No. 1 wireless company, is 60% owned by the new AT&T; BellSouth controls 40%. SBC recently said it would adopt AT&T's name, putting to rest questions about what would happen to the famous name. But speculation had also swirled about what would happen to the Cingular brand name once the AT&T deal closed. In an interview with USA TODAY on Friday, Whitacre left no doubt about his plans. Asked if the company planned to drop the Cingular name in favor of the AT&T brand, Whitacre said, "Yes, we do." More at USA Today