These mergers are always presented to the public as "rainbows and unicorns" for everybody! Usually the end result is not even close to the claims.
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Sprint and T-Mobile Reach Merger Agreement, Plan for 'World's Best' 5G Network
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Less consumer choice. What's everyone getting all excited about?
Competition is good.
Competition is good.
Meant they’re “ran” by the four carriers. I could create my own MVNO today and just like consumers, I have to deal with the four to run it.
Competition is good, though it seems Sprint is pretty much bankrupt if you look at their debt load. They haven't had a profitable year in at least 10 years.
If Sprint is going to merge, probably makes sense with T-Mobile compared to the others. If Sprint merged into AT&T or Verizon, then you have T-Mobile in danger of getting bought out as well. 3 mega companies should be better for competition than two mega companies.
The thought of a bright yellow and hot pink logo is making my eyes ache.
Take a look at Canada. 3 companies; Bell, Rogers and Telus. Poor reception, measly limited plans and the highest prices in all developed countries.
Don't get too excited.
I'm not excited. I'm only pointing out that Sprint is pretty much bankrupt. They are gonna have to merge into one of the others. T-Mobile is the less evil scenario.
Eventually Comcast will buy one of the remaining three, the other two will merge, and we will be down to two.
Time will tell whether this will or will not benefit current customers or attract new customers. If this merger does create better service with competitive prices, then this will benefit everyone and with the option to leave Verizon or ATT. I find it difficult to believe the merger will create new jobs as mergers tend to eliminate duplicate positions.
I think time has already told. None of these mergers in the past have benefited customers. Why would this be different?
Don't CDMA iPhones also support GSM so users can roam overseas?
I truly hope that this merger is blocked. I've been with T-Mobile since they began offering support for the iPhone 3GS way back and the service has been better then AT&T and Version in my neighborhood. They get me LTE whereas I have to use WiFi calling to be able to make a call on AT&T and even that fails many times when my phone loses signal or drops to no bars.
Just in case though, I have ported out one of my three lines to AT&T last month to keep a foot in the door in case things happen with T-Mobile with this merger that I don't like.
I have always enjoyed the service T-Mobile has given me and their customer service has been top notch. I've paid for all of my phones outright every time I buy one through them and they usually unlock them within a few days of buying them. Great carrier beyond a doubt.
Just in case though, I have ported out one of my three lines to AT&T last month to keep a foot in the door in case things happen with T-Mobile with this merger that I don't like.
I have always enjoyed the service T-Mobile has given me and their customer service has been top notch. I've paid for all of my phones outright every time I buy one through them and they usually unlock them within a few days of buying them. Great carrier beyond a doubt.
Soooo we’re all happy here that competition is disappearing in an industry that regularly calls 22-50 GB plans "unlimited?"
I live in a rural area. T-Mobile has the best service in my home out of all four and is way faster. I know that’s not the case for everyone but I do know for sure they didn’t have a signal out here a few years back. Love paying no taxes and fees. I’m not gonna pretend to know if this merger will be good or bad for me but I’m wishing them well and hope like heck John does give me 5G home internet.
Well, 50GB unlimited is better than 22GB unlimited. It’s technically unlimited, just throttled after 50GB. And certain streaming audio and video sources don’t count towards the limit.Soooo we’re all happy here that competition is disappearing in an industry that regularly calls 22-50 GB plans "unlimited?"
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Hard to compare the US with Canada, which has more than 25% of its population in a small area (Golden Horseshoe) and then a lot of blank space outside a handful of other metro areas.
But that’s the exact problem that’s going to exacerbated by this merger.
Instead of simple, honest plans that say "22 GB" at full speed and throttled to 128kbps after that, they call everything "unlimited" and bury the throttling and zero-rating in the fine print.
And now there will be one less competitor. Seems like things are just going to keep getting worse as everyone cheers on the expansion of a company running dishonest marketing shrouding limits and caps behind an "unlimited" moniker.
Soooo we’re all happy here that competition is disappearing in an industry that regularly calls 22-50 GB plans "unlimited?"
Not happy, but T-Mobile is the lesser evil.
Yeah, I think people are confused between the 2G and 3G. The 3G technology that “GSM” carriers are using is WCDMA. CDMA vs GSM mostly refers to the 2G fallback. Most of the “hate” of CDMA usually comes from the lack of SIM card, locked handsets, and incompatibility with many international carriers. But LTE has solved those issues.
Of course, the irony is now people wanting the removal of SIM card. With carriers like AT&T locking e-SIM, it is not a good idea.
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Yeah, it is usually the case.
On the other hand, sometimes mergers are inevitable, especially from each companies’ perspective. Sprint is going nowhere. Either it got merged, or it died on its own, a slow death. The end result is the same, “less” competition.
Looking forward to this, changes are always great.
If I am not happy? I will just switch, no problem.
So far though I am a very happy customer with tmobile especially that I can use it internationally.
If I am not happy? I will just switch, no problem.
So far though I am a very happy customer with tmobile especially that I can use it internationally.
That's a pretty broad statement there. Love to see your proof. But find it odd that I live in one of the highest median income areas and Sprint and T-Mob stores are more prevalent than ATT or VZW. I had ATT. Switched to TMob because I didn't see the value of staying with ATT. No regrets and I'm much closer in income to the 1% than the 0%. I feel no stigma of using what you seem to view as a 2nd rate carrier.
And "eliminating competition" isn't a sole criterion in anti-trust law. If it were there would be no mergers ever. It's much more complex than that -- so complex that in law school it's multiple courses for those interested in having any competency in it. I wasn't one of those students but I wouldn't bet on this merger not happening.
Of the cell mergers we've seen in these many years this one has the most likelihood of succeeding because it actually could benefit consumers -- much more than if Sprint was left to wither on the vine and T-Mob remained a perennial 3 of 3 in customer base because it doesn't have the $ muscle to expand or modernize quicker than competitors. That essentially makes 2 strong cellcos plus one weaker one. How is that good for consumers long run?
Exactly right. Sprint is a dying company. They have a ton of debt and they are losing money every year. T-Mobile is essentially bailing out Sprint before it goes bankrupt. The only way to keep Sprint open by itself in the long term would be a government bailout with taxpayer dollars. Pretty sure nobody wants that to happen.