How exactly would AT&T acquire the second largest mobile network operator in the world, who happens to have a similar market cap and apparently larger profits?

How exactly would AT&T acquire the second largest mobile network operator in the world, who happens to have a similar market cap and apparently larger profits? Obviously it would be a merger, but the article makes it sound like an aquisition. And what could AT&T possibly offer to Vodafone? https://www.google.com/finance?q=NASDAQ%3AVOD&ei=FW91UrjjOqq-igKuVg https://www.google.com/finance?q=NASDAQ%3AVOD&ei=FW91UrjjOqq... https://www.google.com/finance?q=at%26t&ei=EG91UuCSGaX2iwK8Zw https://www.google.com/finance?q=at%26t&ei=EG91UuCSGaX2iwK8Z... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT%26T_Inc http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT%26T_Inc. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vodafone http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vodafone