Now that AT&T‘s bid for Leap Wireless has finally been given the thumbs up by the FCC, it was only a matter of time before the changes trickle down to the carrier’s prepaid offering. Aio Wireless’ website is now reflecting its upcoming merger with Leap’s own Cricket Wireless.
It might be a bit puzzling that AT&T would give up its own subsidiary in favor of something that it just bought, but the carrier has already made known its plans to do so last October, provided the acquisition pushed through, of course. In a way, it also makes a bit of sense. Aio Wireless is a new comer, having only been launched last year. On the other hand, Cricket is a more popular brand when it comes to prepaid, so AT&T might be more likely to rake in customers by using its name.
Aio’s website now welcomes visitors with a note about Cricket and Aio joining forces. In the long run, however, the Aio branding will eventually disappear. And it probably won’t hurt AT&T too much. After all, Aio just lost to T-Mobile in a lawsuit about the use of the latter’s distinctive color branding. For now, though, things are still status quo but we’re expecting to see less and less of Aio’s presence in the coming months.
Current subscribers, should they choose to remain, will have nothing to worry about, at least for the time being. Plans and rates will remain the same while the merger is still in process but new ones will most likely appear to try entice customers both old and new into AT&T’s fold.
VIA: SlashGear
