Less Chance Verizon and AT&T Could Buy Vodafone Than Any of Them Buying Several Smaller Mobile Operators

Perhaps it would have been just a "bridge too far," but any joint AT&T-Verizon Communications bid to buy all of Vodafone would have been breathtaking, if only because of the size of Vodafone, Verizon and AT&T on a global basis.

China Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and Vodafone might be the largest mobile operators globally, counting by revenue. 

A different ranking is obtained if one counts by number of subscribers. Yet a third ranking is obtained if one measures according to monthly revenue per customer. But there is no doubt all three of the carriers rumored to be part of a potential bid are huge.

So you can see the problem Verizon or Vodafone would face, if either tried to buy the other. The recent announcement by Verizon Communications that it had no interesting in  buying all of Vodafone is interpreted by some observers to mean that Vodafone rejected Vodafone rejected Verizon’s terms, not that Verizon was not pursuing such a deal.

Some might therefore speculate that, aside from Verizon acquiring the rest of Verizon Wireless it does not already own, it would make more sense for Vodafone, China Mobile, Verizon and AT&T to buy any of the smaller mobile operators whose revenue is an order of magnitude lower than those of China Mobile, Verizon, Vodafone and AT&T.