Sprint and T-Mobile Merger Might Be Over Amid Fight for Control of Combined Company [Updated]

[elvisimprsntr]

Most US carriers are phasing out CDMA networks in the next couple of years, which TMO likely has no use for and couldn't give away.

Unless that spectrum could be reallocated. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_frequencies_in_the_US.

 

[Makosuke]

Makes you wonder why SoftBank wants to even merge with T-Mobile. One might assume it's because they can turn over a profit... but then why ask for more control post-merger? Maybe Softbank is playing 'Hardbank' on T-Mobile in an attempt to get greedy? Maybe it's that kind of attitude that caused Softbank to have caused Sprint to bleed in the first place.

I suspect, given SoftBank's abysmal management track record, it's more of a case of either "We're losing money on every customer, but if we buy T-Mobile we'll add more customers and make it up in volume!" or the more-nefarious but just as incompetent "Sprint has been losing customers to T-Mobile left and right, so if we buy T-Mobile there won't be anybody to steal our customers."

It genuinely baffles me why SoftBank has kept Sprint limping along for this long--the company has been nothing but a drain on the parent's financials, and has shown little sign of turning around and none of the systemic changes that would be necessary to improve their miserable reputation.

 

[jamesrick80]

I have tmobile....my gf has stupid Sprint and tmobile is much better. Im glad they are not merging.

 

[Bryan Bowler]

I believe it. Sprint is not capable of doing anything right. They could screw up a wet dream.

 

[Nueve]

Does Sprint still think they're in third place? Management is something T-Mobile isn't lacking, by the looks of it Soft Bank is intentionally trying to run both combined companies into the ground.

 

[3224932]

Keep it that way. We need the competition.

No, Sprint has $30 billion in long term debt and only $19 billion in assets. They aren’t viable and headed for bankruptcy. You need this merger or else att and Verizon could pick up their liquidated assets creating a dualopily.

SoftBank has NO business in the US wireless market - they should get out now while they can.

 

[rjtyork]

As a Sprint refuge... I'm absolutely praying that this all goes to hell. Sprint Customer service is the absolute worst.

I'm genuinely happy with T-Mobile and don't want any of Sprint to rub off on them

I agree! I think T-Mobile can just wait a few more years and then buy Sprint for a song and a dance and not even have to worry about those douchebags wanting to keep any control.

 

[Swift]

Keep it that way. We need the competition.

Exactly. T-mobile has made a hundred good decisions, spent lots of money on expansion and new towers, and delivers what the other do -- and better -- at $30-$50 a month less. Sprint? Well, let some company take it seriously for a while.

 

[BoxerGT2.5]

Yes because when you're hemorrhaging money as a business the logical thing to do is come to the table and start barking out "we have to be in control" during merger talks. That line of thinking kind of puts things into perspective on why Sprint is heading down the toilet.

 

[stopthenonsense]

Bizarre. If Softbank knew how to run Sprint it wouldn't be the take over target it is. But with this going belly up seems like the next step could be vultures ending up picking up Sprint assets in the next few years. I mean any company that literally gives away a free year of service and still can't get takers....

Agree. At Sprint's price right now, TMo can probably get a partner to do a hostile takeover.

 

[Billymac19]

We'll know right away if Sprint gets control. Hold times will multiply by about 10, and when you do reach customer service, they won't be able to solve anything.

---

I love T-Mobile service, but I can see a not-too-distant future when I have to go back to Verizon.

i been with Tmo since they started the changed a few years ago, but been thinking about a switch to verizon since Tmo pricing seems to be creeping back up, any reason to not just go to verizon at this point?
may wait til next device launch since im waiting on the X now

 

[stopthenonsense]

Make no mistake, he doesn't truly care about the consumer, he cares about the bottom line. He just gets the reality that what is good for the consumer also is good for the bottom line.

So you know what's in his heart? His actions say he cares about the consumer and it's what has helped the bottom line. He literally stood up to DT to implement his version of what the company should be like and it paid off in aces.

 

[0007776]

Good, the more competition the better.

 

[jerryk]

I hate paying the bill, but I am very happy with my Verizon service. Works pretty much every way I go, and data speed is good.

 

[ronntaylor]

SoftBank/Sprint ain't going out of business any time soon. This merger is necessary to battle the two true players, Verizon and AT&T. Both T-Mobile and Sprint stock prices will suffer short-term is this merger falls through. SoftBank/Sprint already gave up buying T-Mo with merger plans. But they won't lose out completely without some control of the combined company. Co-Chairmanship for Son sounds reasonable, IMO. One or two board seats as well, maybe.

A combined company has much better long-term potential. Without this merger, I can see many leaving T-Mo after finally ditching Sprint in the last few years. There are still too many areas where only Verizon and/or AT&T provide decent service. Personally, I'm not giving T-Mo the benefit of the doubt that they'll catch up to the big boys any time soon by going it alone. It's laughable to think T-Mo could buy up a bankrupt Sprint in a couple years. If anything, Verizon And AT&T will snap the various pieces up and become even stronger down the road.

 

[normanfox]

almost every decision sprint made over its history, it was a disaster:

1. Nextel buyout
2. Sprint Samsung Instinct phone, aka iphone killer
3. Winmax

 

[fairuz]

John is the only executive that looks like he cares about consumers and wants to make a positive change to the industry for consumers. Unlike AT&T or other carriers that follow suit.

Nah, they're the ones who started the carriers' attack on net neutrality. Screw 'em. Anyway, just like everyone else, they still sell their services way above cost, and they decrease prices if they think they can make a higher profit that way. Their CEO is great at marketing and managing, that's it.

The only thing "uncarrier" was when they became the first to charge differently for different packets, and it's gonna suck. Verizon already started taking it a step further...

 

[Rum_Becker]

In five years people will look at Sprint the way the did with the Microsoft offer to buy Yahoo in 2008.

 

[joueboy]

John is the only executive that looks like he cares about consumers and wants to make a positive change to the industry for consumers. Unlike AT&T or other carriers that follow suit.

You must be fanatic of John Legere although he did great on T-Mobile, all the things that coming out from his mouth is just marketing ploy most of the time. Their network still terrible unless you live in a big city. Try go camping and you’ll thank AT&T or Verizon for their network coverage. Unless T-Mobile fully implemented the low band all over the country they are still playing catch-up.

 

[JosephAW]

Maybe Nextel should break away from Sprint.

 

[4jasontv]

almost every decision sprint made over its history, it was a disaster:

1. Nextel buyout
2. Sprint Samsung Instinct phone, aka iphone killer
3. Winmax

You forgot:
4. NASCAR
5. Palm Pre, aka iphone killer
6. EVO 3D, aka iphone killer
7. The Kyocera Echo and David Blaine

And I'll edit your first by adding:
1.1 Nextel "Merger of Equals" where neither emplyees nor customers were treated equal.

 

[KingslayerG5]

"Good. We don't need no stinkin' Sprint." - John Legere

Even if they merge, they would still have be behind AT&T at #2.

Value: T-Mobile
Coverage: Verizon

You want unlocked phone with no carrier bloatware, buy either iPhone or Pixel from Verizon. The Pixel will have its bootloader locked but not many are into custom ROMs.

Then use it on Verizon if you prefer best coverage or best speed (from my experience) or go to T-Mobile to save money and get more data up to 50GB before throttle. TMo's customers are the most loyal.

Ignore AT&T and Sprint. T-Mobile's prices and Verizon's unlocked phones is why I can go back and forth with them both.

My history
Verizon: 1999-2001
Cingular/AT&T: 2001-2011
Sprint: 2004-2006
AT&T: Oct 2017- Feb 2017
Sprint: Feb 2017- Apr 2017
Verizon: Mar 2017-Sept 2017
T-Mobile: Mar 2017-Present

AT&T: 10 yrs, 4 months
Verizon: 2 yrs, 6 months
Sprint: 2 yrs, 2 months
T-Mobile: 7 months (don't include prepaid)

1. & 1A. Verizon or T-Mobile
3. AT&T


4. Sprint

Get your iPhones or Pixels from Verizon which lacks any carrier bloatware from them. Then either stay with them but pay up alot more or use those phones on T-Mobile which has the best unlimited plan at $70 flat rate. No taxes, hidden charges, service charges, etc.

I don't want T-Mobile to start raising prices. Legere needs to stay hungry, stay foolish.

 

[ProphetX]

The reality is they can either merge under current terms OR go out of business and T-Mobile buys their assets, either way the end game is the same: T-Mobile acquires Sprint.
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This is a case where consolidation is going to happen no matter what though, either through a merger or Sprint going bankrupt, I mean they literally can't even give their service away for free. Seriously how bad do you have to be to not be able to give your product away for free?

You’re leaving out a key situation. In the event sprint goes under. Att and Verizon as well as any other company will be in the bidding for sprints assets.

 

[trusso]

Wait– I thought this merger was about what was best for the consumer. Isn't that basically how they were selling it? But now that we've got a little phallic competition going on, well...

Thanks for proving me right, fellas.

 

[wordoflife]

I’m getting sick and tired of all these corporate mega mergers. They say it’s beneficial for the consumer but all it does is result in less competition and higher prices.

Look at the airlines as a prime example.

I agree that we don't need further consolidation in the cellular industry, however I will correct you and let you know that despite consolidation, airfares are that their historical lows right now. That's because they're better able to compete across all parts of the country, instead of just in certain regions where they used to dominate. Of course they still have their strengths in certain markets, but the biggest airlines can pretty much take you all the same places (with a single connection, or less) and compete effectively on price.

That's not really an issue with the big 4 wireless carriers - T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon. They all pretty much have comparable coverage from coast to coast.