How to Trade AT&T, Deutsche Telekom Deal (T, VZ, S, CHL, VOD, FTE, IST, IXP, IYZ)

Telecom stocks from Asia to Europe climbed higher during Monday trading in reaction to the news that AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) agreed to purchase Deutsche Telekom AG's T-Mobile USA business unit in a deal that was valued at $39 billion in cash and stock.

The deal, which still faces regulatory approval, would push AT&T past Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) into the position of the nation's number one wireless carrier in terms of subscribers.

As part of a plan to increase the likelihood that the deal will be approved by regulators, AT&T also announced that it would commit "to a significant expansion of robust 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) deployment to 95 percent of the U.S. population to reach an additional 46.5 million Americans beyond current plans – including rural communities and small towns."

The move would help to achieve President Obama and the Federal Communications Commission's stated goal of expanding network coverage in rural communities.

News of the deal comes as a blow to Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE: S), the number three carrier, which is said to have also been in merger talks with T-Mobile.

Deutsche Telekom was up 13.2% during Monday trading, with volume of 77 million shares traded already far above the daily average volume of 18 million shares.

China Mobile Limited (NYSE: CHL) saw its share price climb during trading in Asia, while shares of Vodafone Group (Nasdaq: VOD) and France Telecom (NYSE: FTE) were rising in Europe. These three stocks can be purchased in the form of ADRs on the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ stock exchange.

Investors who want exposure to a broad range of international telecommunications company's should consider the SPDR S&P International Telecom Sector (NYSE: IST) ETF or the iShares S&P Global Telecommunications (NYSE: IXP) ETF.

Investors who prefer to put their money into a range of American-based telecommunication company's might want to consider the iShares Dow Jones US Telecom (NYSE: IYZ) ETF.