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Oh, man. According to reports out of Bloomberg and the WSJ, Sprint is close to reaching an agreement to acquire T-Mobile for a summertime merger. The proposed deal could run SoftBank around $32 billion, leaving T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom with only a 15% stake in the company, while Sprint gains 50% stock (around $40 a share) and 50% cash.
Of course, all of this is subject to regulatory approval but sources close to the matter say they’re planning for a July announcement. Similar to the deal T-Mobile made with AT&T, if it falls through, Sprint could be paying around $1 billion simply for trying.
We’re really trying to weigh out the positives and negatives and we have to say, it’s too early to freak out. How would you guys feel about reports that T-Mobile could be merging with Sprint? Could there possibly be a bright side to all this?
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A part of me just died….. I swear if SprinTmobile makes drastic changes to my plan or service I’m out. Verizon here I come…After saying that another part of me just died.
You wallet will die with you! I know I pay Verizon $400 a month. 5 lines 3 unlimited data with 2 of those lines having unlimited hotspot, 1 with 4Gig plan and 1 suspended.
Ugh.
If anything plans will only get better with the combined resources and structure.
I’m not a fan of any particular carrier,YMMV depending on quality of coverage.
With that said,don’t F*** UP my perfectly good T-Mobile coverage SPRINT.
Cause theyll take down all your towers why?
So they can send you an Airave. Then when you toss it out your window on the highway on the way to work, they can send you a bill for it.
Could anyone who actually understands telecommunications tell us how they would degrade existing Tmo customer’s coverage if a merger would go through?
Good luck getting that on Phandroid. 99% of the people who’ve griped about a possible Sprint/T-Mobile merger provide 110% full speculation via paranoia.
Well, that’s a fair point. I haven’t seen any responses that appear to contain legitimate information or opinions divorced from emotion. That’s why I’d like to hear from an actual expert. I’m sure Phandroid can find someone no? Chris? You reading this?
Here’s a simple way…Sprint acquires T-Mobile towers. Sprint replaces transmitters on said towers. T-Mobile phones stop working.
Here’s another (sad) possibility…Sprint decides that UMA is too expensive and kills T-Mobile’s Wi-Fi calling capabilities.
The reality is that we have two competing technologies using different spectrum and frequencies. Even though there is overlap in capabilities with LTE, they still use different bands.
Nextel got acquired by Sprint about a decade ago. Over time, Sprint got around to shutting down the push-to-talk Nextel service. It’ll probably be the same thing in this situation, with T-Mobile bands getting phased out.
Was the technology used by Nextel projected to be a major competitor to other carriers at the time? Maybe they’ll just continue with Tmo’s tech and keep existing customers and benefit from that revenue stream? Isn’t that what made Tmo attractive as a buy, why change that anytime soon after a merger? I don’t know.
That all sounds plausible from my perspective as a layperson but I’d still appreciate info from an actual telecom expert. I can do the research but it would be brilliant if Phandroid could tap a real expert and share that information here considering how important this story is. How great would that be?
I know I’m not in the telecom industry, and that’s really who you want to hear from…but until then, I’m telling you that all of the research I’ve done points to two incompatible technologies. Unless Sprint just wants to leave T-Mobile as a separate entity (a la Sears and K-Mart), they’ll have to figure out a way to merge them all under one umbrella. Rare is the phone that has both kind of technologies inside them, and so far, none of them operate in concert. So, the only remaining option is to close down and phase out the network.
One likely possibility I see is this: Say the merger gets finalized next year. By then, both companies have better established LTE networks, which IS a compatible technology. Sprint gets OEM’s to furnish phones with dual LTE bands, and uses LTE to handle all phone and data functions. Then, two-three years later, 90%+ of their customers are using LTE only. Sprint sends out letters to either the remaining CDMA or GSM 2G hold-outs (depending on who will get shut down), informing them that they’ll need to change phones or risk loosing all service. Then, six months to a year later, the throw the kill switch on the old, now obsolete tech.
LTE is what will combine the networks.
That actually sounds reasonable though, a phased transition. Isn’t the trend in mobile tech in America moving towards LTE anyway and away from CDMA or GSM? I could see OEMs obliging carriers like Sprint and supplying dual band devices.
*grabs popcorn* this is going to be good.
T-Mobile has the plan, and Sprint has the coverage. Assuming they start porting the Sprint users & infrastructure/frequencies to the T-Mobile landscape, we’ll have a helluva competitor. Right now they each have signifcant coverage gaps, and Sprint has the same technical problems as Verizon except it’s a tad cheaper.
“Sprint has the coverage”
LoL!
Logic. Why wouldn’t they take from what they both do best and combine strategies. I dont understand where people think they are SOL because another company wants to buy their provider.
It’s not that simple.
Because there is less choice in the market. Look at the Broadband providers. Most people only have two choices (if that) and look how that service is? The less people fighting for your money, the less they have to do to get it. That alone is enough to oppose this deal.
This exactly. Less competition means consumers get screwed. It is the reason why we even have several regional telecoms in the US, otherwise everything would be under AT&T (Bell).
There is going to be less choice is the martket regardless. Do you really think Sprint and Tmobile are making money? They cant, the telecom companies ATT and Verizon are already in control. So heres your choice, You’ll eventually choose between 3 major companies if this merger goes through or you’ll end up choosing between 2. Its like you comment without reading about what happening in your own country.
Wait, what? You’re not making any sense. Who says there’s going to be less choice anyway? Why would it? If Sprint has the money to buy T-mobile, Why can’t they take that same money to turn around their company on their own? They don’t have a shortage of spectrum either.
You say Sprint and T-mobile can’t make money. Really? Why not? Not everyone wants to be on Verizon or AT&T. I can’t use either one because They don’t have a plan that suits my needs.
Your last sentence really makes no sense. I only pointed out one basic economic reason (Out of many) to why people don’t want this deal to happen. How does that tie in to what I know about my own country. It can’t be the example I used? I would think ANYONE could follow the logic on that one. I’m in a major city and I just got the option of DSL last year. Why would Comcast improve their service if I had nowhere to go?
The more people competing for your dollar, the better service you’re going to get. It’s simple economics.
Time is a factor that money cannot always solve. So that Answers why they wont take that 33billion and invest in something that could be there day 1.
Sprint and Tmobile do make money, I guess I should correct myself. However, they are not making any profit. That could be easily understood with a Google search.
Your logic does make sense, more companies, more competition. But let me use this example. I can create a operating system that may be superior to Windows and OSX, but do you really think that the operating system is going to survive against those two Giants? Its not. Same thing can be said for the Telecoms.
I think the keyword is Monopoly.
except Verizon’s LTE actually acts as LTE… Sprint’s LTE acts as cdma 3g.
No, Sprint’s LTE actually acts like LTE. Verizon’s is the one that acts like EVDO 3G, hence the need for Verizon to double their bandwidth with the “XLTE” gimmick.
Well mileage varies of course, but Sprint is in dire need of an XLTE gimmick. I’m in NY and my mom was getting “LTE” the entire way from the west villiage in manhattan over the brooklyn bridge and up to astoria in queens… that’s 3 boroughs and I did constant speed tests on her gs3…. 4 tests pulled between 1-2 mbps download and one test pulled 4.5 mbps download… My hspa+ nexus 4 on tmobile averages around 8-12 mbps. My verizon buddies used to average around 6-8 mbps last time i checked.
This has been my speeds as tested in Atlanta since it was first activated back in the GS3 days. Now, as with Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, and T-Mobile all will have network crowding issues as more customers end up on LTE.
Again, mileage always varies. I believe you get good speeds. However in NYC, and many if not most places if you go by the comment sections on these forums, sprint speeds are atrocious. I should know, i’ve been a sprint customer since nextel was big. You can say “every company will get overcrowded.’ Yeah sure, but there’s a difference between every company maybe at some point in the future might get speeds bogged down to sub 4 mbps speeds…. and for a company to to have its LTE speeds bog down to such ONE YEAR after launching the damn service. Even on the website sprint advertised you should expect average speeds “between 4-7 mbps.”
Not saying everyone gets bad speeds, but the public consensus is that they do. Just like I have excellent tmobile service where I am, that doesnt mean its great throughout most of the US.
No, the public consensus is not that everyone gets bad speeds. It’s a select few who comment across multiple websites griping. I’ve even seen folks gripe about speeds of cell carriers who admittedly weren’t customers of that company and never have been.
At the end of the day: Don’t believe everything you read from folks on the internet unless they can back it up with proof. I don’t claim to be an expert on anything, but I at least provided a screenshot of my speedtest to prove my point.
Alright you’re right, sprint has number 1 data speeds across the nation. And all of the nation data tests say as such… I am no longer on sprint to provide you with my own screen shots, i dropped them like a hot potato. But next time i see my mother or brother I can take some screen shots for you so you can see the 2.5 mbps LTE speed test…. or you can just go to the sprint website ( http://www.sprint.com/netdotcom/ ) click on 4g lte… and it will tell you to expect 6-8 mbps downloads… 10x faster than their 600mbps 3g speeds, which i used to regularly get before i switched and then there is a big advertisement for their spark LTE program, i dont know if you consider that a gimmick as well.
But as I stated, im sure its fine in your area, and they are constantly improving. My problem was their improvement in my hood was ridiculously slow. Tmobile started later and finished sooner.
Again i wish i could provide you with screen shots but i no longer have my Evo LTE, gave it to my little brother (although i do miss the phone). Maybe if i can find an old email or something i sent to my friend. We used to laugh at my .5 mbps downloads.
I never said Sprint has the number 1 data speeds across the nation. I’m just refuting your point that lacks proof that “the public consensus is that everyone gets bad speeds.”
A few people on the internet whining about their data speeds is far from public consensus.
I see what t-mobile is doing. agree on a deal that will not be approved. Collect money like they did from AT&T and use it to build up their network and pass along to their customers.
I’m hoping this too.
Crazy….. LIKE A FOX.
Haddy haddy haddy ho…:-)
Highly doubt they’ll get a deal like they did with AT&T.
From a layperson’s perspective, that sounds about right but I’d be curios to hear from people with some actual business knowledge tell us how this would really work.
Thats exactly what i was thinking. As we know T-Mobile CEO is crazy but smart he takes great risks that makes the company millions
It’s easy: If Sprint runs the combined company it’ll suck hard. If T-Mobile runs the combined company well, then they’ll just have more muscle and that sounds okay.
That wont happen because Deutch Telecom I believe theyre called no longer want full control and responsibility of the USA branch of T-Mobile.
Sigh… Just left Sprint. No way this Colan can be good is it goes thru. Sprint/T-Mobile users go be forced to buy new phones
Actually is reality it would be Sprint or Tmobile users. Which with two different types of networks that arnt going to be easily combined I doubt that ll happen at all.
Google Voice integration with hangouts (real VOIP calling) can’t come fast enough. I can live with wifi only calling, as I’m sure if this goes through say goodbye to those $30 prepaid plans :p
I really hope this is a money grab for T-Mobile
The only way I could support this or see this going through, is if John legere and co are at the reins of this after the merger. I don’t understand why T-Mobile and sprint can’t just have a network sharing agreement like they do in the UK. Bid on spectrum together and let both parties use it. That way they can both stay independently run, without all the other risks involved also.
Network sharing wouldn’t work on most stuff because the phone technologies are fundamentally different, GSM vs CDMA. A phone that will work on T-Mo will absolutely refuse to operate in any way with Sprint.
You mean like the nexus 5? Same phone works on both.
The Nexus 5 has the ability to work on multiple carriers (Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile), but not be active at the same time. You would essentially need a dual sim setup in order to be able to utilize both carriers on one phone.
I would personally like to see a setup where your phone uses the network with the best service in any given area, but not sure how logical that would really be. With both Sprint & T-Mobile being roughly the same size coverage wise, I’d say they don’t try to merge customers one way or the other, rather provide both options in store and let the customers choose.
As the other guy stated, they won’t work on both networks at the same time. The Nexus 5 is one of those exceedingly rare phones that had both types of antennas placed in the same body, but which tech is being used depends on how the phone was activated. In the past, Sprint didn’t deal in SIM cards at all, though that is slowly changing with the S4, S5, Nexus 5, etc. I know there are a lot of people who have had issues even getting a SIM card from a Sprint store, and were flat out told by the sales reps that Sprint didn’t do SIM cards at all. I figure the sales reps probably got tired of people buying GSM phones on eBay and trying to get them to work without doing the research.
The Nexus 5 has radios for both networks, that’s all.
How do GSM and CDMA companies combine networks???
I believe itll be through LTE. But Im not exactly sure myself. I dont expect them to combine networks for years to come if the deal even goes through.
LTE is the same tech across both (cdma), but perhaps different frequencies…
Most of the problem with coverage is putting up the towers or getting those lease agreements in place… Upgrading the gear on each tower should be quite a bit less expensive than putting up new towers.
I’m curious to know what could happen if so. I know change wouldn’t happen immediately if it goes down, but I’m curious.
T-Mob’s “agree” explained:
Sure I will take your “if merger fails to get approved” $Billions of dollars because I know combined, we would have too much spectrum which is why they not allow it
Well, if John Legere and the T-Mobile leadership get to run the combined company and just take on Sprint’s name while combining their resources, it will be awesome. If it’s going to be Sprint in charge, then it will be a total clusterf*ck.
I hope I still get to keep the $30 unlimited data / unlimited text / 100 voice minutes plan that I have with T-Mobile…
Damn! I’ve been a T-Mobile supporter every since I left… SPRINT!. I left mad! This stinks!
….And youll be a Verzion and ATT supporter whenever they overtake Sprint and T- mobile. Ya know why? Because you’ll have no choice. You might like your plans but I bet you wont like the fact that Tmobile and Sprint are both losing billions.
no, please I don’t want to hear this bad news. Sprint cdma network is an
utter joke along with their LTE speeds. Sprint is going downhill and
losing customers left and right to t-mobile. This is about swallowing up
a competitor so they won’t tank. Son just put to much money into sprint
and now he doesn’t want it to turn into a bad investment because
tmobile ruined all their plans. From what I hear Japans wireless
industry is even less competitive than ours and softbank runs their
network at high rates and doesn’t let customers unlock their phones even
after payed off. I would not trust this guy with anything he says. and
volte isn’t even near becoming main stream. their cdma garbage will be
up and running for another 5 years at least. sprint is a joke and I hope
this is rejected. I just hope this doesn’t ruin or stop tmobile from
upgrading all their towers or spreading more coverage through the
approval process. Prices never ever get cheaper with less choice, so him saying it will lower prices is complete bs. as a matter of fact it will make it easier to collude with each other and keep prices artificially high
Where are you getting your information about Son? I’ve heard the opposite about him. I heard he actually lowered his prices in Japan. He turned his cell phone company around. He has a plan for Sprint and T-Mobile that spoke on back in March. It’s on YouTube if you want to look it up. Or maybe I’ll post it when I get home.
people from japan who go to my college were telling me this.where did you hear your info from? him? Of course he is going to say he has a plan. He wants to buy tmobile. Sprint at it’s current pace will be surpassed by tmobile customer growth and move down to number 4. son so called plan has sprint bleeding customers and their network is pretty much universally panned as crap. son wants to eliminate their main threat which is tmobile. Softbank has a lot on the line with sprint and promises of cheaper prices can not be achieved by this. It is going to cost money to combine networks and get all towers working on the same bands/frequencies. less competition and choices has never led to lower prices. and it will not magically do it here.
To my knowledge Son has not promised any cheaper prices to Sprint. Son has not done anything yet for Sprint. The fact is that both Sprint and T-Mobile cannot compete with Verizon and AT&T alone. T-Mobile will most likely overtake Sprint soon, but they still don’t have what it takes to pass up AT&T or Verizon. T-Mobile’s network is still weak in many places. I have been with Sprint a long time, 13 years. I am looking to switch to T-Mobile myself. But I am willing to wait and see what Son can do with Sprint. And with T-Mobile and Sprint together, it would be a great company. And with John Legere as head of both companies, as the rumor has been, it would be a T-Mobile company with a Sprint name. And by the way, I got my information on sites like these. It was all over the forums before Softbank bought Sprint. Here is one video of Son discussing what he would do with a combined company. You can believe it or not.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZNqs5fLKIU
Here is another video. Read the article also.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/101487350
Your awesome, this is exactly what people need to see. Prices would only get better. Competition would increase and prices would decrease! I’m Pro this merger I think the United States needs this.
When Tmobile merged with Metro PCS it turned its CDMA network into a HSPA+/LTE network. I believe a similar thing could be done.I fact that goes officially offline and switched over in 2015. Regardless it would be immediate cause for less competition between the two before the merger.
I think this is a win, let me explain:
T-Mobile right now has a whole lot of spectrum they can’t fill with customers because they can’t scale fast enough. They got that chunk from ATT, which basically puts them at a very big advantage… and Sprint can’t get customers because they’re sitting on a horrible CDMA network with really the lowest quality of smartphones.
My prediction is that Sprint goes away, T-Mobile gets their customers and to run the show in the end. They migrate all of Sprint from CDMA to GSM over the next 5 years or so, then spin out the CDMA spectrum to a new company that doesn’t even do smartphones or at least not LTE/4G/Beyond to serve that still significant market that doesn’t need a data plan and just wants a cheap phone. Selling off the Sprint network would still be worth a whole lot of money in a few years and it’d be a good deal all around, especially if using T-Mobile’s aggressive pricing and marketing makes them the #2 provider.
Nice explanation. Never looked @it in THAT light. Hmmm. Interesting
But why can’t Sprint slowly switch over to GSM on their own? My must they but another carrier for that?
One thing that you might see is sprint roll out gsm as there main technology if the deal goes through. Use the cdma technology for prepaid services. I don’t see the fcc stopping this like they did with att. 3 big companies competing is better. Sprint is great in some areas and t-mobile is great in some. However add the two together and they come together upgrading coverage area you have a third competitor similar to size of Verizon and att. I personally like the deal. I think the combination of the two would give better competition.
“and Sprint can’t get customers because they’re sitting on a horrible CDMA network with really the lowest quality of smartphones.”
Where in the hell did you get that garbage line from? CDMA is not horrible by any means and the only difference between the Sprint & Verizon CDMA networks is coverage. Nothing else.
And the line about “lowest quality of smartphones” is equally garbage. They get the same phones that every other carrier gets with the exception of exclusives, which seemingly every carrier has.
Only coverage? Says someone who never used Sprint’s “3G”.
I’ve been a Sprint user for 10 years. I’ve used their 1XRTT, EVDO 3G Rev.0 & Rev.A. and their LTE also on top of having used iDEN and it’s data counterpart WiDEN.
Now, you were saying?
Oh, and the photo below is a recent Sprint EVDO 3G data test. It’s not HSPA, but I have no problem with it, mainly because I’m always on LTE or WiFi.
First, you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about and second, you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.
I’m starting to wonder why these rumors keep spreading? What good can come of it? T+mobile has finally turned around and is doing well so why start to scare people more that they can’t make it? What their current CEO has done is still working.
Also Sprint had the largest portion of spectrum out of the four. It’s their own fault that they just recently fallen to fourth place. AND Sprint got a huge supply on money in that Softbank deal. That wasn’t too long ago. Why can’t they at least wait and see how that helps Sprint?
Why can’t both carriers stand on their own and fight to make it? Is that so bad?
They have useless spectrum. 2.5Ghz does not penetrate anything nor carry very far. They can’t really use it.
Yeah, when I had Sprint a long time ago it was notable how my phone would stop working the moment I went inside a building.
Our cordless phone runs on a 2.5Ghz network. You step outside and your signal is gone. LoL!!
Doing well? How are you doing well without profit. Revenue and customers is not reason enough to say they’re doing well.
That’s good for T-Mobile, the FCC not going to prove it, just like AT&T deal before. I am a Sprint customer since 2001 and I have no problem with their service in my area. I hope it’ll benefits everyone on both sides. But, the way the FCC done AT&T before, good luck to Sprint and I congratulations to T-Mobile. One more $1bln in their bank.
Difference is if the ATT deal went through, ATT would have completely owned the market for good. Even Verizon wouldnt have been able to compete. However they Verzion and ATT can definitely compete again a Tmobile+Sprint merger.
Lets pray for the best not the worst.
That’s the explanation why my T-Mobile LTE service has been so shitty today
I am a T-Mobile fan but I hate Deutsche telekom and how little they’ve wanted to put into t-mobile before they cash out. At least with Softbank they seem to be in it for the long hall and to build the best carrier. I’m staying optimistic until details unfold. My problem is that T-Mobile will become #3 once their 2G has been converted to lte in 2015. No doubt that’s the track their on. The uncarrier model is working and as long as you have moto e, g, and x along with oneplus one and nexus devices the sky is the limit. Best bang for your buck.
You should’ve left the 1+1 out of the conversation lol.
Committed investment + John Legere + Uncarrier Model = success and great things for us T-Mobile fans and Sprint customers. Sprint model + Sprint CEO + Sprint Network would suck and I would switch to ATT in a heart beat. Remember T-Mobile’s users aren’t in contracts and can walk pretty easily.
cash is king..
DT wants out of the US and sprint has provided them their $32billion escape pod.
Well with all the stuff Tmo’s been doing, how are they trying to get out the market? I mean, there’s been a ton of new ways to save money on Tmo coming out, and they STILL are planning something else.
That doesn’t seem like a company trying to leave a market.
Dammit i just left sprints crappy service
I think the only possible good outcome from this would be if the merge wasn’t approved. T-mobile would have 1 billion dollars to further strengthen their network.
Screw this sh**. I left Sprint for the horrible network and service and now this. I’m going to have to just go back to using cans and a string to communicate. I’m AM not got to Verizon or atnt.
I’m trying to stop it with a #fightthemerger hastag on Twitter. Might as well use social media for some buzz :p, althought it may not happening
You do realize that is the most useless thing you could do besides nothing right?
Contact the FCC. Contact your senator and congressman.
If Sprint would be taking control I hope to god this isn’t approved, at least for a while.
I hope for the best but I can only see sprint dragging T-Mobile down unless they do some crazy revamping.
Which is unlikely.
With VoLTE on the horizon, I don’t think the specter of Sprint failing to merge different network topologies, i.e. Nextel, should be a factor anymore. However, as a long time Sprint customer, I do worry about how the company will be changing it’s policies and offerings after a transition of this magnitude. Will they be charging consumers more in a bid to quickly recoup all the money they spent? What if the FCC and the FTC don’t approve the deal? There’s a billion dollars that could have been used to bolster their existing network gone. With T-Mobile really being the only carrier trying to do something different than the other three, will that spirit continue on with Masayoshi Son pulling the strings from above?
This is horrible news.
Just like I will never buy an HTC phone again after the Thunderbolt. I will never be a Sprint customer again after several agonizing years with the worst customer service and coverage imaginable. Their is nothing I like about sprint including their ugly color scheme.Due to John Legere and Tmobile, all carriers have been forced to lower rates and loosen restrictions on upgrading. Why change this? Because Legere will eventually be reigned in and fired and Sprint will go back to being the most arrogant, poorly run turd pile of a network that they have always been. Maybe Obama the great man of the people will have his regulators do the right thing for once and reject this merger that in the end would be horrible for consumers. Nah, never happen. It’s business as usual. Sayonara Tmobile…..HELLOOO ATT.
I love T-Mobile and all, but I think you’re overreacting quite a bit.
You never were involved with Sprint obviously. Sprint employees make employees of the DMV seem motivated by comparison.
Not buying an HTC phone again because you had a problem with one device is amazingly childish. Sure, some of their phones in the past have stunk, i personally stuck with the G-series on T-Mobile, then went to the One S and the ONE and now the ONE M8 and have always been happy. You should give them a shot again, the ONE is an amazing piece of hardware. It may not sell as big as the Galaxy phones but it is much better.
The HTC One is the best phone I have ever had or used.
Softbank can’t afford a standard $3 Billion dollars for a breakup fee but somehow it can pay $32 billion dollars for t-mobile? Lets block this crap
My thing is, won’t this benefit people in the long run? Neither Sprint nor T-Mobile has the firepower to really compete with AT&T and Verizon, and it’s not like the two companies merging would mean that T-Mobile simply has identical service to current Sprint. Having both Sprint and T-Mobile’s bandwidth should mean a pretty damn solid network, and with Sprint finally starting to get their act together (and as a Sprint user, I’ll say that while they’re not there yet, they are getting there), I don’t see this as being a bad thing.
I’m against monopolies, but given that we already essentially have a duopoly in the US, a 3rd telecom superpower would be nice. We could use a break from the stranglehold Verizon and AT&T have everyone in.
Tmobile IS a power now. They have the power to force the other companies to lower rates, curtail contracts and offer faster upgrades. Verizon and ATT can afford to compete in this arena. Sprint cannot, so they need to eliminate the competition.
I’m not against mergers in general, but eliminating the agitator, the company (tmobile) that is shaking up the industry is not a good idea. Son can say what he wants, but the end game is survival of Sprint. What better way to do that than to go back to business as usual where all cell companies screwed the customer and there was no John Legere to stick his sharp stick in their eye.
Honestly, while I get why you’d say this, I really don’t believe T-Mobile is a power. Yes, they’ve done some stuff to shake up the industry, but how has it really, seriously affected Verizon and/or AT&T? They still have a stranglehold on much of the market, and haven’t really changed much about their business strategy. Outside of places in which T-Mobile’s coverage is superior to Verizon/AT&T’s, they still don’t have to worry too much about competition. A 3rd huge carrier (and Sprint w/US Cellular’s Chicago bandwidth and T-Mobile’s bandwidth) would give them actual, meaningful competition. I understand not wanting to be with Sprint ever again (believe me, I really do; I’ve been very close to leaving many times), but it’s not like they’d swallow T-Mobile whole, and not improve coverage and speeds. Yes, we might lose out on T-Mobile’s “disruptive” style, but my hope is that in the long run, this forces the Big Two to work harder than they would’ve otherwise (which I honestly don’t think T-Mobile could do alone).
I think a combined company could become a greater agitator. T-Mobile is not going away, it will just become bigger with more power.
The sad thing is Verizon and AT&T have the worst networks and highest prices.
I am all for this merger because where I live Verizon Wireless is King and AT&T The Queen and I always like the underdog ….. with Sprints coverage very comparable to Verizon especially now that Sprint LTE is active yet not official (still spots of 3g) in Fayette County Pa and T-Mobile is only 2G (Edge) and to get 3G or 3.5G you have to drive about 30 miles and not even sure about the LTE My friend has had T-Mobile for over 10 years and he lives in the center of Fayette County and he has a SGS2 and his wife who always has to have the newest phone has the SGS5 for bragging purposes ….yet what’s the point of having such a power house of a phone if the majority of the time is spent on 2G unless you are home with the Wi-Fi…..I know that this is not the case with every T-Mobile or Sprint customer in other areas. I have been on 3 of the 4 top carriers and bang for your buck wise Sprint is great.
I wish Sprint had some GSM spectrum to share with T-Mobile. But other than that, I don’t see how this could be a bad thing for customers of either network.
I just left Sprint for TMobile because of Sprint’s HORRIBLE coverage. I am way better off with TMobile. Not really all that happy about this because I just know that Sprint will find some way to screw this up the way they screw pretty much everything up.
They have horrible coverage? And that is based off your travel from city to city and rural areas around the country? Where I live, people say ATT has horrible coverage. Last I checked serviced was based off locality.
Notice how many people in this thread left Sprint for TMobile and nobody has left TMobile for Sprint? There are reasons for that.
Sure, and one of the reasons could be that T-Mobile offers a contractless way of doing business. There’s no debate as to whether T-Mo offers superior speed/service in some areas, but for what it’s worth, T-Mobile was almost competely unusable in some areas when I used to have it.
Sprint has had a terrible few years, which is why so many people have left. They’re on an upswing now (especially now that they have Softbank’s money), so I wouldn’t imagine this situation (the T-mobile defecting) will remain forever.
I noticed that a few years ago it was the other way around. T-mobile is just a name.
I really don’t want this to happen. I live in Chicago so T-Mobile has always had great coverage for me, but what really draws me to them is their pricing and no contract approach. I also like that they’ve always been open to any GSM phone that’ll support their frequency. If this does happen, my only hope is that only the name will change but T-Mobile’s way of doing business will remain. Also, Sprint coverage in Chicago is terrible from what friends have told me.
Really! So you judging other carrier for someone else opinion! That really smart of you. I travel between Chicago and Detroit I have Sprint and my cousin has T-Mobile, 70% of the time he can`t use his phone. I saw Sprint download in Chicago area is over 55Mbps download on LG2 device and on SG5, that`s on spark. In Detroit area where I live I average over 22 Mbps download and in some places I over 34 Mbps download.
I’m not saying it’s universal. But yes, given that I have no experience with the network first hand, I have to rely on the critiques of others, especially given the hassle it can be to switch networks back and forth. From what I hear, Sprint has been taking strides to improve their network and service. I’m not sure where your cousin uses his phone, but I rarely have issues in Chicago and its suburbs. To each their own I suppose.
Hmm… What if Tmo knows this will fail when it reaches the FCC and will use the 1 Billion as a boost in revenue?
Free money!!!
Sounds better to me than a T-Mobile/Sprint merger.
probably. Legere is clever enough to try it
hmm lets reflect… tmobile absorbed 4 billion, and took a rather large chunk of that and upgraded their network in a very serious way, then they just bought metropcs which was another 10 million customers, and then merge with sprint? id say it will be a great help to sprints otherwise crappy network. sprint has just started their new buildout of hardware so this could be a win for pretty much both parties. not to mention that the owner of softbank is like king midas.i’d look positively on this deal not negatively sadly it is doubtful that the new merge will be able to drive pricing from the other 2 down anytime soon. maybe later on
oh no.
So… Let me get this straight:
1) T-Mobile bought out MetroPCS and is in the progress of converting their CDMA network to GSM.
2) Sprint is a CDMA network that just rolled out their new “Spark” LTE technology.
3) Sprint/SoftBank will convert T-Mobile/MetroPCS’ GSM network back to CDMA?
At this rate, how in the world will we ever see LTE coverage everywhere if the giants can’t decide on which network to use?
t;mobile was always GSM. their 2004 and 2005 phones were the same in europe as they were here.
nokia 3650 still got mine.
they will go CDMA on voice until VOLTE
“they will go CDMA on voice until VOLTE”
Really? So, you’re saying that the people in Seattle had to, suddenly, exchange their GSM phones for a CDMA version from T-Mobile to get VoLTE?
T-Mobile does not sell CDMA phones or SIMs. They has been GSM since day 1.
VoLTE can exist in either CDMA or GSM network, BTW.
CDMA is not LTE. I think your confused.
CDMA or GSM will not be shut down. Not at least for 8 years.
Look at how long it took to get AMPS (analog cellular) shut down. It was built in 1978 and wasn’t shut down until 2008.
The FCC made carriers prove the replacement technology 100% covered the previous AMPS area before they let it be shut down.
GSM and CDMA will not be shut down until LTE gets the same coverage. In between, the carriers will slowly transition people to Voice-over-LTE. Eventually when 98% of phones support VoLTE (5-8 years down the road), they’ll start seeking permission to shut down GSM and CDMA.
These are looooong term moves.
Number 3 was pulled out of the sky because I havnt seen any information saying that. On top of that in you just take a google search youll see that CDMA will become LTE…..Example. Please see YOUR #1.
Ok. So I did a Google search again and results like this is showing:
http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/t-mobile-shut-down-metropcs-cdma-network-new-england-las-vegas-end-q2/2014-04-28
So… Where on earth did you figure that T-Mo is switching to CDMA??? I don’t get it…
And this:
http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/article.php?a=11263
Clearly, you Google searched for the wrong info, InfDaMarvel.
VOLTE….sigh. Your post points to the fact that CDMA is phased out into LTE.
I’m hoping that Sprint/T-Mobile will go GSM. It would mean more choices for everyone. I hate the fact that the good phones overseas won’t work with Sprint, but AT&T and T-Mobile can get to use them.
i like the idea. maybe they will finally cover 38221.
if the fcc can be lobbied to trash Net Neutrality, they can be lobbied to do heroin, so, anything is on the table at this point.
After reading through comments for a few days it seems that the majority of people are against the merger. Most of these people are making this opinions based off ignorance towards the technology itself. I believe these people are for ATT and Verizon’s price increases and somehow believe that T mobile and or sprint are going to survive the next decade without combining resources with another major telecom. If this happens, you’ll be the same people who are complaining that you service is too expensive.
T-Mobile’s CEO Explains Why A Merger With Sprint Makes Sense
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/why-sprint-is-buying-t-mobile-2014-6#ixzz33oZaDsoB
I am all for the merger, if Legere takes over and is able to head up the new company, taking advantage of the additional spectrum he will gain, just like he mentioned in that article. It’s quite odd to me that there are so many against the merger, but many of the negative comments seem to be with the mindset that Sprint employees would take over T-mobile, but from what I’ve heard, the Executive team from T-Mobile would be the ones staying vs. the Sprint execs (including Hesse) that will likely be out. For those on T-Mobile, that have been happy with Legere’s direction for the company, wouldn’t you be even happier if he was leading up a merged company with even more spectrum than he had with T-mobile by itself?
IF it becomes Sprint absorbed into T-Mo to make T-Mo bigger, then i’m for it. Legere has done a lot of great things with T-Mo which is why I jumped to it this past winter. free global roaming (yes, it’s slow, but it’s still FREE), and Free WiFi calls from other countries to the US are just two of the many reasons I do not want Sprint to take over and axe out.
That’s why, to me, it just seems that many people are making presumptions that Sprint’s executive team would take over, but keep in mind that it’s SoftBank that owns Sprint (much like Deutsche Telekom currently owns T-Mobile). And SoftBank’s CEO has said that he wants to be competitive with the big 2 and doesn’t like that Sprint has had such a bad reputation. So, I think it’s too soon for all the T-Mobile folks to get “scared” and presume what is going to happen. If you look at it from a “glass half full” vantage point, a merger with Sprint could potentially broaden coverage to rival what Verizon has given to their customers for years. Just take a read through this Dan Hesse interview. To me, it sounds like a man that is preparing himself for the potential that he’ll have to move on, if the merger happens: http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2014/05/06/hesse-ok-not-leading-merged-sprint-tmobile.html
So, until the FCC gives the go ahead (which, I’d say this has a better chance than the ATT deal…although, not great), then there really could be a lot more good out of this merger than “bad.”
Would Hess be worthy of a VP position under John (if he could withstand the demotion)
Sprint folks are split, when it comes to Hesse. When he first came on board, I thought he did great things with Sprint. It was quickly on a downward spiral and he managed to at least stop the sinking. There are certain decisions that he made (like going with WiMax first) that many Sprint folks were upset about. I think it’d be more-so a question if he’d really want to be 2nd in command. Based on that interview, it seems to me that he’d feel better moving on to different endeavors. Hesse was integral in making ATT the #1, in the early years of ATT wireless, but I’m not sure he was necessarily the right man (once he was able to right all of Sprint’s wrongs) to take Sprint into the “competitive” realm. John Legere definitely has more of the “out of the box” thinking that I feel SoftBank will back, as far as taking the company to the next level. That is, again, if this all gets passed and given the go ahead.
Guys, let’s not be naive. @disqus_8tNonlvmvL:disqus, I do appreciate the links, but honestly these people are CEOs of corporations, they’re not running charities. Follow the money. The article said Legere stands to make $41 MILLION off the merger. I didn’t hear anything after that part. I don’t know about you all but if someone offered me $41M, I’m saying whatever I need to – truth or not. It’s all bullshit posturing. Just look at Legere’s dramatic overnight “youthification” when he joined T-Mo to
appeal to a younger audience. Going from business suits and conservative
hair to t-shirts, jeans and sneakers at board meetings, growing his hair long. They are professional strategists, everything they do and say is to manipulate the public’s perceptions: “Of course we won’t get worse. We will actually get BETTER! Competition is so overrated!” Sure. If you believe this nonsense, I’ve got a bridge in Brooklyn I’d like to sell ya.
As an 11 year T-Mobile customer… Well *censored*.
I travel internationally a lot. That means a GSM network is an absolute requirement for me. T-Mobile’s new roaming plans (basically “Oh you’re on T-Mobile? Great, you can roam to 100 countries at 20 cents/minute voice and no charge for data at all, kthxbye) is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
If this merger is anything other than T-Mobile’s leadership absorbing a crapload more spectrum, this is a bad news for everyone.
They wouldn’t be changing to CDMA. If anything, Sprint’s network would change to the more common GSM standard with VoLTE implemented in the meantime, which is going to supercede both eventually.
Source for that? I haven’t seen anything yet about what network they’d standardize on, and knowing the wireless industry I think I have good reason to be pessimistic.
This late in the game, there is absolutely no sense in merging the networks into one topology. I can’t provide you a source unfortunately, but it would be absolutely foolish to try and switch one of the networks wholly over to one or the other. They would likely continue as they are until VoLTE is mature enough to take over as the standard for both networks as Fuzzypaw mentioned.
Just because something makes “absolutely no sense” doesn’t mean a company won’t do it. :-) I haven’t heard anything about VoLTE before. I’ll have to google a bit. Still, I am pessimistic until proven otherwise.
tmobile is just whoring itself out to collect breakup fees. lol than they use it to destroy sprint and at&t
I so hope this works out, and goes through.
Why?? This is terrible for everyone but the companies and their execs.
Why is it terrible for you?
Bad, bad, BAD.
So which one is the man in that civil union?
It all depends on what happens to T-Mobile’s plans. It’s the only company whose pre-paid cards last 90 days (instead of the usual 30), making it possible for one to have service (for emergency purposes only – for example) for as little as $40 a year.
So what if the merger does not happen and John Legere gets offered a job as the new CEO of Sprint and accepts?