Sprint and T-Mobile Aiming to Reach Merger Deal Next Week

[kingtj]

Yeah.... To be honest, Sprint is dying anyway. Somebody's going to buy them out and merge them. So I'd rather it was T-Mobile than Verizon or AT&T at this point.

But that doesn't change the fact that consumers are left with only 3 major carrier options instead of 4, once this happens.

Honestly, before I switched to T-Mobile, years ago, I was really rooting for U.S. Cellular. I had fair prices, good coverage, and decent customer service from them, back when I lived in St. Louis, MO. (That was back in the days of the Moto Razr as the latest "rage" in cellphones, though. So I'm dating myself here!) The thing is though? U.S. Cellular seemed like they had what it took to go from regional carrier to major nationwide player, and then they stumbled and fell somewhere along the way. They completely pulled out in the St. Louis market, a few years ago, advising existing customers to transition to Sprint. Pretty sure they're still a player in the Chicago market area, but I haven't kept up with them.

In a perfect world, I would have liked to see U.S. Cellular and Sprint merge together to form a stronger 4th. choice for major carriers.

Bad for consumer choice.

[doublepost=1524838581][/doublepost]Does Comcast even count? I thought their business model for cellular involved agreements to use towers owned by the other major carriers as "backup" for times they can't put your calls on wi-fi using Comcast's hotspot network?

I don't think you can be a "major carrier" without your OWN network of cell towers.

Who cares? The FTC is going to reject any proposal anyways, at least until there’s a fifth national carrier...

If Comcast’s cellular service got that big, it could happen. But I’m pretty sure nobody is dumb enough to use them.

 

[dontwalkhand]

VZW customer here with plenty of device investment in their network, a business sub of theirs for 15+ years. What you wrote here smacks of all kinds of stupid, not even addressing the reasons why Sprint and TMo would/should/could merge. "Verizon is CDMA" is just so 2012 it's funny in a sad way as in what are you writing about here - I travel nationwide and see 1X in one county - Wahkiakum - that doesn't have LTE-based coverage, and that's only part of that county (I have clients there). VZW is sunsetting their CDMA network, they went on the record about this matter two years ago. I still use VZW iPhone 6 handsets - not the newer units - and pretty much never see CDMA-only coverage anywhere, ever. So, good one, thanks for the laughs...

BTW, VZW SIM cards are LTE-only.

Actually VZW SIMs are hybrid CSIMs or RUIM cards and LTE. LTE Phones won’t even sign onto a CDMA network without one inserted.

 

[yeah]

This is a win win situation. T-mobile's network with Sprint's management experience.

I think you mean Sprint’s 2.5 GHz spectrum with T-Mobile’s management experience.

 

[cocky jeremy]

If T-Mobile is in control, I dig it. If not... I might move to Verizon.

 

[neoelectronaut]

I go through 2GB a day. Verizon unlimited. ✅

Jeez. I can stay under 2GB if I'm mindful, but my wife doesn't give a toss and uses way over that amount. Thankfully it's unlimited.

 

[UnusedLoginID]

I got in on the one year free deal for unlimited everything with sprint and while I like my small bill ($15 per month for 5 lines with unlimited everything), the coverage is horrible in many places. Can’t wait for the one year deal to end so I can go back to cricket.
[doublepost=1524828322][/doublepost]
Don’t make up stuff. I don’t like sprint coverage in the us either but I took my iPhone to Beijing recently and I got better service in Beijing than I got anywhere in the us. Still using the cdma sim in Beijing.

I never said anything about using Sprint abroad. By the way don’t you find it ironic that you have better coverage in Beijing than in the US?
Additionally China has a very large CDMA network with one of the top 3 carriers - I think China Mobile, don’t quote me on that though - so Sprint may be using that.
Last, how much are you paying for your Sprint roaming in China? I have T-Mobile and get free texting and data, granted at 2G speeds, but am always connected for no additional fee no matter where I go.

The only low-cost competition with carriers who OWN their infrastructure is between T-Mobile and Sprint. Let’s figure out together what it would mean if there’s only one left? This deal is bad for the customer, it may seem good for T-Mobile but again they don’t know what they’re getting into. Someone mentioned Sprint management as an asset, who are we kidding, these guys made blunder after blunder and never improved their infrastructure and customer service and that’s why Sprint is dying. All of Sprint management needs to go!

 

[aquadevil2002]

Does this mean lower rates (Sprint) and Fastest LTE (T mobile) or worst Coverage (Sprint) and worst upgrades (T mobile)

 

[cmwade77]

This is a win win situation. T-mobile's network with Sprint's management experience.

You obviously have never dealt with Sprint's "customer service", it is pretty pathetic.

 

[BuffaloTF]

Split up the EBS/BRS spectrum amongst Verizon and AT&T... convert it to FDD - 3 equal parts. Probably need to give up some PCS. Everyone wins.

 

[eyeseeyou]

Does this mean us t-mobile subscribers will be getting a free tidal music subscription?

 

[Junior117]

I used to dread the day as a person who used T-Mobile when visiting the US. Now their PAYG plans stink for short visits. Let the merger take place!

Isn't Google technically a carrier anyway due to Project Fi? Or do they need more than that in order to be considered as a carrier?

As for Amazon and Apple being carriers, I agree about the former, but I don't know about Apple.

 

[MidwestMac1]

As a former Nextel employee I would recommend that TMobile stay far far away!

I am also former Nextel and I am confused. Now that we know how management was cooking the books, the company was actually failing yet...... your anger is towards Sprint? This makes absolutely zero sense.

 

[smirking]

And there's certainly places in my area where Sprint gets signal and T-Mobile doesn't, and vice-versa.

Yeah, right now based on the places I tend to find myself in, I only have Verizon as a rock solid option with T-Mobile coming in second. If T-Mobile could pick up some of Sprint's coverage area, I might be able to switch to T-Mobile instead. Most importantly for me, at home I only get usable signal from Verizon and Sprint. Sprint has the strongest signal at my house, but once I leave my block, Sprint starts going downhill fast.

 

[MidwestMac1]

Welp. I will miss sprints 5 bucks a month unlimited everything roaming in japan. Was nice while it lasted. Tmob will never have anything similar under any circumstances.

 

[Lloydbm41]

The day I let Sprint into my life is the day I go back to Straight Talk on ATT. T-Mobile, you don’t need their garbage service! Stay uncarrier and let them fail then gobble up the patents and bandwidth in the bankruptcy auction.

T-Mobile will have controlling interest in the merge, and the name Sprint won't exist. We are buying Sprint for their spectrum and towers. Their stores and employees will fold into T-Mobile. Bottom line, the way we do things won't change and our 5 year plan as outlined by John Legere is that we will have the most customers by 2023, the most coverage by 2020 and the fastest network (already there).

BTW, this merger won't be completed until 2020 (exactly when we light up our nationwide "mobile" 5G network.) No other carrier will compete because Verizon and ATT are sticking to mm wave 'in-home' 5G networks. Which is stupid IMO.

 

[MidwestMac1]

T-Mobile will have controlling interest in the merge, and the name Sprint won't exist. We are buying Sprint for their spectrum and towers. Their stores and employees will fold into T-Mobile. Bottom line, the way we do things won't change and our 5 year plan as outlined by John Legere is that we will have the most customers by 2023, the most coverage by 2020 and the fastest network (already there).

BTW, this merger won't be completed until 2020 (exactly when we light up our nationwide "mobile" 5G network.) No other carrier will compete because Verizon and ATT are sticking to mm wave 'in-home' 5G networks. Which is stupid IMO.

Good luck to everyone. There are talented people on both sides.

 

[Wide opeN]

If Masa ends up with 58% ownership, it would be a coup on his part.


BUT if the Sprint spectrum really turns out to be as valuable as speculated, then perhaps Legere and company figures the pie will be so big in the future that it doesn't matter.


Either way this is a boon for Masa and very shrewd on his part.


It makes me think that in the long run, T-Mobile feels that they can actually surpass Verizon & AT&T. That assumption actually lends itself to even MORE fierce competition amongst the new "Big 3".


Why else would Magenta be ok with giving Son a 58% stake in the new entity!? Because they feel like they can take the new entity to such extraordinary heights that giving Masa the majority stake (while still running the show, with 42% of their own) won't matter if they ultimately become number 1.


If I'm right, I believe we haven't seen nothing yet!!!

 

[lolkthxbai]

even if they do come to an agreement i doubt the FTC would approve a merger

 

[tl01]

Does either carrier have good reception in rural areas??

 

[democracyrules]

T-Mobile will have controlling interest in the merge, and the name Sprint won't exist. We are buying Sprint for their spectrum and towers. Their stores and employees will fold into T-Mobile. Bottom line, the way we do things won't change and our 5 year plan as outlined by John Legere is that we will have the most customers by 2023, the most coverage by 2020 and the fastest network (already there).

BTW, this merger won't be completed until 2020 (exactly when we light up our nationwide "mobile" 5G network.) No other carrier will compete because Verizon and ATT are sticking to mm wave 'in-home' 5G networks. Which is stupid IMO.

T-Mobile can try to have the most creative coverage but you cannot best Verizon and AT&T especially with Verizon which has the widest coverage and signals including inside buildings. Acquiring Sprint will not beat Verizon with the way Sprint network is. But T-Mobile can dream to whatever you want.

 

[Lloydbm41]

T-Mobile can try to have the most creative coverage but you cannot best Verizon and AT&T especially with Verizon which has the widest coverage and signals including inside buildings. Acquiring Sprint will not beat Verizon with the way Sprint network is. But T-Mobile can dream to whatever you want.

You don’t understand what T-Mobile is doing with its 600mhz and 700mhz frequencies.
By the end of next year, Verizon and ATT will look anemic compared to T-Mobile. But not to worry, we will welcome you in with open arms when you finally decide to leave them. And IT WILL happen. Promise.
[doublepost=1525020631][/doublepost]Deal is done. We own Sprint!

From John Legere via Twitter:
“I’m excited to announce that @tmobile & @sprint have reached an agreement to come together to form a new company – a larger, stronger competitor that will be a force for positive change for all US consumers and businesses!”

 

[technole]

Nobody would win in this situation. +1 for T-Mobile doing well enough. Sprint is only going to drag them down.

How? None of the Sprint C suite brass is going in the new Bellevue board room. Marcello just gets a BoD seat.
[doublepost=1525026033][/doublepost]

A CDMA and GSM network combining, how is that supposed to work?

Also bad for consumers.

MetroPCS was CDMA when they merged with TM.

Nice try.

 

[Lloydbm41]

MetroPCS was CDMA when they merged with TM.

Nice try.

Additionally, CDMA and GSM mean nothing in a 5G era.

 

[827538]

How? None of the Sprint C suite brass is going in the new Bellevue board room. Marcello just gets a BoD seat.
[doublepost=1525026033][/doublepost]

MetroPCS was CDMA when they merged with TM.

Nice try.

What do you mean nice try? I'm not even from the US, I don't even know who TM are.
You can either run two networks side by side or you shut down the CDMA network. The first is hugely inefficient and the second will cause problems for a lot of customers, a lot of older CDMA phones don't support GSM networks.

But hey, enjoy your sky high cell costs. Meanwhile in the developed world we will continue enjoying our dirt cheap 4G networks and net neutrality.

 

[2298754]

Deal is done. We own Sprint!

Do you understand how these things work? Nothing happens without government approval.

(specifically DOJ and FCC)
[doublepost=1525110293][/doublepost]

You don’t understand what T-Mobile is doing with its 600mhz and 700mhz frequencies.

You mean trying to match Verizon and AT&T's already deployed low-band network?

They've been using CLR and 700 for years. Let's not pretend that T-Mobile is doing something special.