Verizon Seeks Alltel Deal, Challenge to Top Dog AT&T

Verizon Communications is in negotiations to buy wireless carrier Alltel, a merger that would cover 80 million US subscribers and create the nation's biggest cell-phone company, the Wall Street Journal reports—though the potential $27 billion deal could easily fall through. But if it's consummated, and the feds see no antitrust problems, the new company would surpass AT&T, with 71 million customers, as No. 1. (More Verizon stories.)