Department of Justice Approves $26B Merger of T-Mobile and Sprint

[kazmac]

T-Mobile had to agree not to raise prices for three years for the merger to go through. Folks will be eventually forced to buy new phones if they’re with Sprint though (CDMA being phased out, which makes me wonder about our Verizon iPhones now...)

If both companies had solid service here and much easier customer service systems to navigate, I’d consider trying T-Mobile.

At any rate, I hope things improve with both companies and T-M will continue with good deals after those three years are up.

 

[JosephAW]

Yes but will it help my LTE speeds on Sprint? Keeps dropping from LTE to 3G or 1x or worse, no service.

 

[SomeSoftwareGuy]

I’m a mint mobile user (t-mobile mvno) and I’m hopeful this will eventually improve the overall t-mobile network. Heck, it can’t hurt it... can it?

 

[IIGS User]

Guess the ex Verizon guy will need a new gig, eh?

 

[Breaking Good]

T-Mobile had to agree not to raise prices for three years for the merger to go through. Folks will be eventually forced to buy new phones if they’re with Sprint though (CDMA being phased out, which makes me wonder about our Verizon iPhones now...)

If both companies had solid service here and much easier customer service systems to navigate, I’d consider trying T-Mobile.

At any rate, I hope things improve with both companies and T-M will continue with good deals after those three years are up.

At this point, most smartphone manufacturers make handsets that work across most of the LTE bands in the world. If you have a Verizon iPhone manufactured in the last three years you likely won't notice any disruption in service when Verizon shuts down its CDMA network at the end of this year.

Even with the merger, the new T-Mo won't be the size of either AT&T or Verizon. But they will have enough mass to build out a 5G network.

 

[SoundJudgment]

Yes but will it help my LTE speeds on Sprint? Keeps dropping from LTE to 3G or 1x or worse, no service.

Yes.... it will be better! Because it will soon be on T-Mobile's LTE!

 

[ugcop]

I was with ATT for over 20 years. It was generally decent coverage, and after smartphones came out, in metro areas, speed was usually great. My work offered to foot my phone bill, but I had to switch to Sprint. I dropped calls more often, couldn’t use the internet while on the phone, coverage was abysmal outside of DC, and speed was slooooow. I just switched to Verizon for the past several months, and it’s night and day better than Sprint. Maybe not quite as good as ATT on speed, but coverage is good; time will tell on my overall impression. At least it’s not Sprint. Never had T-Mobile.

Here’s hoping this merger makes Sprint/T-Mobile a decent service for folks who have it. Perhaps it will, or it may continue to suck. Either way, I just wish SOMEONE (including ATT/Verizon) would actually invest in COVERAGE OVER SPEED. LTE phones are fast enough when coverage is good. What I want more than anything is LTE speed (ok sure, 5g would be great), even if I’m driving through the mountains. Whatever company gets there first will have my undying loyalty.

I would like to be able to make and receive calls without walking outside. I live in a populated area and am forced to use WiFi calling. The first one to get me service has my vote.

 

[Breaking Good]

I’m a mint mobile user (t-mobile mvno) and I’m hopeful this will eventually improve the overall t-mobile network. Heck, it can’t hurt it... can it?

I had Mint for a while. It is a great service. I don't think it will hurt Mint Mobile. However, once Dish takes ownership of Boost and Virgin Mobile, you may want to investigate if one of them would be a better value for you. Dish will have the right to use the T-Mo/Sprint network for seven years while they build out their own network.

While I consider it unlikely, it is possible that Dish may opt to skip building out any type of 4G network of its own and just go straight to 5G.

 

[Wags]

Will see how this helps out in areas where TMO has week service. Sprint will have terrible service as well. What kind of investment will really make or is this about pilfering what they want and discarding the rest.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

Everything about this is wrong. The way it is now is REAL competition, which is why T-Mobile has been gaining market share every single year.

I have not noticed prices climbing. Ive noticed them getting lower and more importantly Ive noticed more bang for the buck across the board.

In 3 years, T-Mobile will become Verizon. Thats when everyone will switch back to Verizon because if I'm going to pay Verizon prices, I'm just going to use Verizon.

It was either this or Sprint would go bankrupt.

 

[JosephAW]

I would like to be able to make and receive calls without walking outside. I live in a populated area and am forced to use WiFi calling. The first one to get me service has my vote.

There should be an app showing which carrier is strongest at your location. Not a map from a website.
If you go into setting and turn off "auto" cellular for carrier an app should show you which towers are talking to your phone.
[doublepost=1564164772][/doublepost]Does mean the eventual demise of cdma networks?

 

[jonen]

I'm not fully understanding why this is a bad thing. As a Verizon user, it seems like the new T-Mobile will bring much needed competition to VZW and AT&T. If all they do is compete on a similar playing field and raise their own prices, I would stick with VZW.

With Google Fi also in the mix, it seems unlikely to me that the big 3 would increase the entire market bill average and get away with it. We'll see...

 

[justme1]

Yes but will it help my LTE speeds on Sprint? Keeps dropping from LTE to 3G or 1x or worse, no service.

Curiously, I had to leave Verizon this past spring due to constant dropped calls. They were totally baffled (it wasn't my phone, happened to everyone in my family). My neighbor has Sprint, so I switched to them and haven't had a single problem since. In addition, I have unlimited data and the cost is a few dollars cheaper than VZW.

Verizon even provided me with a signal booster device, which didn't make any difference. Interestingly, they didn't want it back when I left them.

 

[happygodavid]

I would like to be able to make and receive calls without walking outside. I live in a populated area and am forced to use WiFi calling. The first one to get me service has my vote.

I hear ya. Had the same thing with Sprint. Depending on where I am, same with ATT or Verizon. The constant barrage of “WE ARE FASTEST NETWORK” is nauseating. Just give us decent signal everywhere, people.

 

[ActionJax]

Following more than a year of regulatory scrutiny, the U.S. Department of Justice today announced that it has approved the $26 billion merger of T-Mobile and Sprint, although with several conditions attached.

T-Mobile and Sprint will join together as "New T-Mobile" to become a dominant third carrier in the United States alongside Verizon and AT&T. Together, the companies have committed to building out a nationwide 5G network covering 97 percent of the U.S. population within three years and 99 percent within six years.

T-Mobile and Sprint earlier promised that they will not raise prices for three years following the completion of the merger.

Under the terms of the proposed deal, T-Mobile and Sprint must divest a substantial package of assets to Dish Network, including Sprint's prepaid subsidiaries Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile and some 800MHz spectrum. Dish will also gain access to at least 20,000 cell sites and hundreds of retail locations.

The deal paves the way for Dish to become the fourth nationwide facilities-based wireless carrier in the United States, ensuring a competitive landscape. Dish has announced that it plans to deploy a 5G broadband network capable of serving 70 percent of the U.S. population by June 2023.

FCC chairman Ajit Pai:T-Mobile CEO John Legere:The merger remains subject to remaining regulatory approvals and certain other customary closing conditions. Additionally, a number of states filed an antitrust lawsuit in U.S. federal court in June to block the proposed transaction; that lawsuit remains on the docket and must be resolved before the merger can go forward.

Regardless, T-Mobile and Sprint expect to receive final federal regulatory approval in the third quarter of 2019 and anticipate that the merger will be permitted to close by the end of the year.

Article Link: Department of Justice Approves $26B Merger of T-Mobile and Sprint

[doublepost=1564165143][/doublepost]A handful of people will get richer, a lot of people will lose their jobs, and all their prices will go up. COOL!

 

[coachgq]

3 yrs from now....price goes at least 25% higher, You heard it now.

I’d be willing to bet 3 years ago prices were 25% less than they are now.

 

[coolfactor]

Instead of merging, carriers should just agree to join forces in building ONE network that they all support, instead of multiple overlapping wireless networks.

 

[mi7chy]

We need more competition in the wireless industry that results in lower price and better service. Right now it's monopolized by a pair of Apple like companies, AT&T and Verizon, with overpriced mediocre services hyped up by marketing.

 

[Zaft]

This can be really good or really bad. I hope the spirit and focus of T-Mobile remains the same. Sprint is terrible. I hope it dies a quick death.

Sprint will be dead. T-Mobile just wants the massive amount of 2.5Ghz spectrum.

 

[_Refurbished_]

Everything about this is wrong. The way it is now is REAL competition, which is why T-Mobile has been gaining market share every single year.

I have not noticed prices climbing. Ive noticed them getting lower and more importantly Ive noticed more bang for the buck across the board.

In 3 years, T-Mobile will become Verizon. Thats when everyone will switch back to Verizon because if I'm going to pay Verizon prices, I'm just going to use Verizon.

T-Mobiles network will outpace Verizon's by then. Customer service? Good luck with Verizon.

Verizon is a "premium" phone company for fools. I should know, I was once a fool too.

 

[vipergts2207]

Normally against mergers like this, but ATT and Verizon have a near duopoly as is. Hopefully this lowers prices at the upper-end of the market.

 

[Rodney Dangerfield]

3 yrs from now....price goes at least 25% higher, You heard it now.

Agree...If you want 5G, it will cost you!

 

[ISprainedMyUvula]

T-Mobile had to agree not to raise prices for three years for the merger to go through. Folks will be eventually forced to buy new phones if they’re with Sprint though (CDMA being phased out, which makes me wonder about our Verizon iPhones now...)

If both companies had solid service here and much easier customer service systems to navigate, I’d consider trying T-Mobile.

At any rate, I hope things improve with both companies and T-M will continue with good deals after those three years are up.

Any iPhone since the 6 is capable to running on GSM networks as well. The problem is, Sprint is known for not wanting to unlock their phones, even after they're paid for. And sometimes, even if they do "unlock" them, it's only for foreign networks, not AT&T or T-Mobile.

I assume they'll have to adjust that now.

 

[rumz]

I was with ATT for over 20 years. It was generally decent coverage, and after smartphones came out, in metro areas, speed was usually great. My work offered to foot my phone bill, but I had to switch to Sprint. I dropped calls more often, couldn’t use the internet while on the phone, coverage was abysmal outside of DC, and speed was slooooow. I just switched to Verizon for the past several months, and it’s night and day better than Sprint. Maybe not quite as good as ATT on speed, but coverage is good; time will tell on my overall impression. At least it’s not Sprint. Never had T-Mobile.

Here’s hoping this merger makes Sprint/T-Mobile a decent service for folks who have it. Perhaps it will, or it may continue to suck. Either way, I just wish SOMEONE (including ATT/Verizon) would actually invest in COVERAGE OVER SPEED. LTE phones are fast enough when coverage is good. What I want more than anything is LTE speed (ok sure, 5g would be great), even if I’m driving through the mountains. Whatever company gets there first will have my undying loyalty.

Hah I hear you on the coverage issue. I get the feeling, though, that 5G is about expanding the application of wireless — that it’s at least partially about bringing wireless into the home as a viable alternative to cable, etc. — at least in some markets.

 

[anshuvorty]

Does this mean that I will finally get cell speeds equivalent to Verizon or ATT? Because right now, when I was with Verizon I was getting around 50-80 Mbps down. With T-Mo, I am getting half that...