Operator M&A: What are the top 5 most likely operator hookups to happen next?

Regulators in the United States have finally approved Verizon Wireless' blockbuster $3.9 billion acquisition of AWS spectrum from a group of cable companies. Meantime, AT&T Mobility has inked agreements to purchase most of the nation's 2.3 GHz WCS spectrum in a bid to use it for its LTE network buildout. So now the question becomes: What's next? What follows are the top five most likely matchups among the U.S. wireless operators. This list is compiled from discussions with a number of the industry's leading business and financial analysts. The list is ranked in order of likelihood, from the least likely to the most likely. Special report