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[Various] Exclusive: T-Mobile, Sprint close to agreeing on deal terms - sources

1K views 31 replies 20 participants last post by  DETERMINOLOGY 
#1 ·
Quote:
T-Mobile US Inc (TMUS.O) is close to agreeing tentative terms on a deal to merge with Sprint Corp (S.N), people familiar with the matter said on Friday, a major breakthrough in efforts to merge the third and fourth largest U.S. wireless carriers.

The transaction would significantly consolidate the U.S. telecommunications market and represent the first transformative U.S. merger with significant antitrust risk to be agreed since the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump in January.

Japan's SoftBank Group Corp (9984.T), which controls Sprint, and other Sprint shareholders will own 40 to 50 percent of the combined company, while T-Mobile majority owner Deutsche Telekom (DTEGn.DE) and the rest of T-Mobile shareholders will own the majority, the sources said.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sprint-m-a-tmobile-exclusive/exclusive-t-mobile-sprint-close-to-agreeing-on-deal-terms-sources-idUSKCN1BX1EK
Some are saying as early as Oct 2017. I'm not sure of any real benefits to T mobile customers. It appears that Spring customers could gain the most from this.
Others:
https://www.engadget.com/2017/09/23/sprint-and-t-mobile-merger-could-happen-late-october/
http://www.wymt.com/content/news/Report-Sprint-T-Mobile-edge-closer-to-merger-447255143.html
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-a-t-mobile-sprint-merger-would-hurt-consumers-2017-09-20
http://nypost.com/2017/09/22/sprint-and-t-mobile-inch-closer-to-merger-deal/
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/t-mobile-sprint-merger-mean-152953239.html
 
#5 ·
As a Project Fi user, I can honestly say that I have had no issues with either Sprint or T-mobile's network. I pretty much always have service, even at my parents cabin in the White Mountains I still get cell service, no 4g LTE but I can still make calls and texts just fine.

As far as a monopoly, AT&T and Verizon are still #1 and #2 and this merger won't change that. T-mobile was gaining customers but spending too much on marketing to make it sustainable and Sprint was losing customers, so if you add Sprint's large existing base and T-mobile's marketing prowess you get an actual chance at competing with Verizon and AT&T, the latter of which rose to it's spot due in large part to it's iPhone exclusivity in the early days.

My question is will Sprint change to GSM or will T-mobile switch to CDMA? I hope the former but I think in reality it will be the latter.
 
#6 ·
Oh great, less competition...
 
#7 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Behemoth777 View Post

Oh great, less competition...
If both of them had died, which is where they were both headed, there would be even less competition. This merger doesn't instantly put them into a position of power, they'd still be the underdog. They still need to attract customers away from their Verizon and AT&T contracts.

And it's not as if AT&T and Verizon will be hurting if they lose a few wireless contracts. They both have the luxury of being cable ISP's and cable TV providers, they'll be doing just fine, trust me. Both Sprint and T-mobile do not have that massive cash cow to fall back on.
 
#8 ·
Love my t-mobile bill second year with them.. But half the time I can't use phone or gps fu

roaming all the time unless near city.. At same time business phone works every where I go hope
they merge soon so I have better service..
 
#9 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Craiga35 View Post

As a Project Fi user, I can honestly say that I have had no issues with either Sprint or T-mobile's network. I pretty much always have service, even at my parents cabin in the White Mountains I still get cell service, no 4g LTE but I can still make calls and texts just fine.

As far as a monopoly, AT&T and Verizon are still #1 and #2 and this merger won't change that. T-mobile was gaining customers but spending too much on marketing to make it sustainable and Sprint was losing customers, so if you add Sprint's large existing base and T-mobile's marketing prowess you get an actual chance at competing with Verizon and AT&T, the latter of which rose to it's spot due in large part to it's iPhone exclusivity in the early days.

My question is will Sprint change to GSM or will T-mobile switch to CDMA? I hope the former but I think in reality it will be the latter.
You're lucky where you are located then, i live in a rural area and have been using FI for a couple years now and at home i have zero service from sprint or TMO and i live near a rather large city that has pretty well built out networks. If FI didnt shift everything over to wifi when available then calling/SMS/MMS would be useless on my phone at home.

TMO/Sprint merger wont mean anything until they stop following highways and metro's only and move out into the country like ATT and verizon did a long time ago. I used to have ATT and in the densest part of my house i had full bars, so its possible where i live, if they build out.

Yeah, i hate ATT/Verizon as much as the next guy and its why i haven't even went back with an MVNO of theirs out of principle, but they deserve credit where its due and coverage they are second to none in the US.
 
#10 ·
GSM merging with CDMA... Considering that Verizon is also migrating away from CDMA, we may finally be in a position where phones are be useable across all cariers...
 
#11 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slomo4shO View Post

GSM merging with CDMA... Considering that Verizon is also migrating away from CDMA, we may finally be in a position where phones are be useable across all cariers...
Exactly what I was thinking, no more variations of the same phone! yay!
 
#13 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by aayman_farzand View Post

Aren't Global Phones common place these days?
They are unless you buy the cheap phones your carrier sells.
 
#14 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ozlay View Post

They are unless you buy the cheap phones your carrier sells.
well, my note 5 was a different model than the one on verizon... had to do some funny stuff to switch it back and fourth.

SM-920P v SM-920V

might just be that I had to unlock the phone myself instead of having sprint do it for me...
 
#15 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by aayman_farzand View Post

Aren't Global Phones common place these days?
Only hand full of flagship's allow you to switch.
Apple is universal, the Nexus 6p and Pixel line is also..
 
#17 ·
Quote:
Sprint got their name because you gotta sprint your butt down the road to get any reception.
this is the truth. I'd literally have to drive about .5 miles down the road to get reception when I had them like 6 years ago lol

* this was living on a state main road too * - then verizon magically ended up in my hand as soon as I couldnt stand it anymore *we just moved in the house during the time*

either way, this merger will be ok I guess - bad service + bad service = what?
 
#18 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cloudforever View Post

this is the truth. I'd literally have to drive about .5 miles down the road to get reception when I had them like 6 years ago lol

* this was living on a state main road too * - then verizon magically ended up in my hand as soon as I couldnt stand it anymore *we just moved in the house during the time*

either way, this merger will be ok I guess - bad service + bad service = what?
T-Mobile is great though, at least here in Texas. Unlimited YouTube is also nice.
 
#20 ·
Had unlimited with sprint for years while Verizon and the others were offering data caps for the same price. Hope this doesn't change with this merger.
 
#24 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoast View Post

Verizon did upcharge you. Not sure if that still the case
Tmobile well throttle you to 2G or something like that.
Not sure about sprint.
sprint throttles only during high congestion times for users above 23GB

Basically large scale QoS..
 
#25 ·
I'm actually excited about this. Most low cost carriers rent from sprint/t-mobile. With a merger coverage for those should expand. I switched from Sprint back in 2002 to Verizon as sprint had poor coverage outside of cities. Since then I switched to a low cost carrier that uses Sprints network from Verizon in 2014. Coverage is significantly better now with Sprint and comaparable to Verizon. Also I have lowered my monthly from $40 with Verizon to $15 which includes more data and unlimited calls/text. Needless to say I'll never go back to Verizon or Sprint due to low cost carriers using the exact same networks. Oh and did I mention no international rates!
 
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