Softbank is making an end-run around concerns about a merger of Sprint and T-Mobile US by instead hitting up T-Mobile's parent company Deutsche Telekom. As reported by Japanese news agency Kyodo, Japan-based Softbank has entered into an agreement with Germany-based Deutsche Telekom to buy the latter's ownership stake in US carrier T-Mobile. The US Federal Communications Commission and Department of Justice have expressed their concerns about the potential for such consolidation in the US cellular market, and the move by Softbank would likely end up still being heavily scrutinized.
The end result (a Sprint/T-Mobile merger) would likely still be the same, though this move might bring the two companies as separate entities under the same umbrella corporation first. Softbank bought Sprint last year for $21.6 billion, and they've been vocal about their desire to also buy T-Mobile. Sprint, too, has been pursuing T-Mobile, though it's more likely that Softbank's even deeper pockets would be better suited to such an acquisition.
We don't have any indication right now of how much the deal may end up costing Softbank (estimates range up to $50 billion), though T-Deutsche Telekom's 67% stake in T-Mobile US. When AT&T attempted to buy T-Mobile and was shot down in 2011, the purchase prices was set at a whopping $39 billion. T-Mobile of 2011 was a radically different company than T-Mobile of today. A good portion of T-Mobile's success today actually comes thanks to the failure of that acquisition, which garnered T-Mobile a multi-billion-dollar break-up fee from AT&T, as well as the spectrum needed to enhance their network.
Deutsche Telekom has expressed interest in the past in unloading their share of T-Mobile US, much like last year's massive sale of Vodafone's stake in Verizon Wireless to Verizon. With Deutsche Telekom wanting out of the US, and Softbank wanting to expand rapidly in the US, it seems all but inevitable that T-Mobile will trade hands. But will such a sale and merger be good for US consumers, and what will happen to the Uncarrier in the process?
Reader comments
T-Mobile merger with Sprint looks more likely as Softbank and Deutsche Telekom agree on sale
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I use both companies, so this could be good or could get really ugly. Either way it will be interesting to watch how it all comes together.
I use Sprint for phone service, My Way All In plan with unlimited everything plus a 5GB tethering. I average about 50GB of data a month currently (video and audio streaming over LTE) and max out the tethering most months. Video streams go straight to my TV via ChromeCast. No cable, satellite, or even aerial anymore.
I use T-Mobile for a prepay hotspot that gives me overage protection and coverage outside Sprint service areas. The hotspot is fast and cheap, we all know fast is good; but cheap is also good. Bought the hotspot at WalMart because T-Mo has a deal with them for special plans. I can buy a 60 day data pack of 3.5GB for $35 or 5GB for $50 and not worry about it it breaking the bank when I'm on the road outside Sprint territory. I only buy a couple packs a year, so prepay is good enough for me here.
This would be awesome for where I live (El Dorado, Arkansas) because T-Mobile only has 2g here and sprint has 3g and 4g lte, if the combined I would have great coverage when traveling to Louisiana without losing service!!! And I could go back to Virgin Mobile!! Why you ask (gag horrible service) well that's not my case they were great for me $35 a month awesomeness but since T-Mobile has better coverage for traveling and Sprint has Awesome service (in my area of traveling and living) Monroe and El Dorado this would be great for people who want to go to prepaid and have great service and coverage and not just be on (Straight Talk- horrible service and outdated phones at high prices!!!) So MERGE!!!!!!
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Now I have a reason to stay away from T-Mobile and stick with AT&T. You can bet whatever that Sprint is going to ditch T-Mobile's GSM network in favor of their dictatorial system where they can control what phones you can use on their network. I'm not going back to CDMA.
Okay get an education. First all Sprint LTE phones have Gsm bands that support 2G and 3G. Also Cdma is dying and will be turned off within the next 5 years. All carriers are moving to full LTE networks.
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I see what you're saying. If this does go as planned, I feel like it would be more TMO and less Sprint. Oh don't mind the troll.
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CDMA will go away, one way or another...
Yep.
I like how the FCC is "concerned" that the third and forth ranked mobile providers are merging. However, the FCC thinks it is perfectly fine to let Comcast buy Time Warner, two of the largest cable providers merging. You can tell who is paying more to the government.
I'm with Sprint here in Metro Detroit, and honestly, the service has improved vastly in the late 6 months. I'm seeing solid LTE speeds in Warren /Sterling Heights. The customer service has been top notch.
I'm not even sure they've officially announced LTE for this area, so to see the improvement is good. I pay 65 a month for unlimited everything, (One Up) and was able to buy my device (Nexus 5) outright instead of doing the installment plan. Half the people that Bitch about Sprint have probably never used them, and are sheep piggybacking the attitudes of the few people who were turned off by the Wimax debacle just so they can fit in.
I am curious though, is the T-Mobile /Metro Pcs acquisition complete? Did that all get approved? I wonder where that fits in.
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As a former Sprint customer now on T-Mobile, this merger concerns me. I'd only be happy with it if T-Mobile does the controlling and Legere is CEO.
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Nooooo!
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Yes
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No
American twat
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Awww, you're so tough, Internet tough guy!!
He won't say where he is from. He's either embarrassed of where he is from or he lives in America and is like some foreigners that take from it.
I'm the kind of guy who stops a microwave at one second to feel like a bomb defuser.
Finally!
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Some of these comments stupid are really stupid. If most Tmo people are that unhappy then take your ass to AT&T or Verizon with data caps and high ass monthly bills. If AT&T got to Tmo first you would have no unlimited data and they wouldn't grandfather your plans either. Son turned Softbank into a powerhouse in Japan and will do the same for Sprint. He takes business VERY seriously unlike some of you folks. Here him out first before running your damn mouths. Smdh!
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Lol
Nice to know you find the truth funny. Typical.
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Ummmmm no
I'm the kind of guy who stops a microwave at one second to feel like a bomb defuser.
Typical American . Deny and hate facts.
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....
(just checking to see if NoNexus and cordawgfrito have singular opinions on ellipses too)
Twat
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Bitch.
Lol! Ellipses will be merged with ovals in order to compete with circles. The earth collides with Mars 120 days later....
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I had sprint and left due to the bad customer service and bad data speeds. Tried T mobile -once more w Legere's public stunts, and quit because rural coverage is still horrible (doesn't come close to sprint), so this merger can only be a good thing.
VZW Moto X
It's funny to me how confident or butthurt some of you guys feel about this deal going through. Read about it on a reputable financial site and realize the odds are heavily stacked against it ever happening. It looks more like Son willing to put $1 billion on a bad bet (breakup fee...not nearly as bad as the $6bn + spectrum ATT lost). Washington/the regulators (mount up!) have had nothing positive to say about this since early 2014. We'll see how it all shakes out, but I do like that comment Sprint's chairman made about "price wars" if the merger was allowed to go through.
Some serious concessions will have to be made, but this one will be easier than att/tmo and softbank is very motivated.
Whoever the number 5 carrier is should be linking their chops right now at some of the bargains they may be getting
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Is there a breakup fee?
If this dues happen then sprint needs to convert to gsm no more cdma
In the long run every carrier will have a firm of gsm, cdma will go away in +/- 5years
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The bitchiness in this comments section is quite entertaining
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Oh dear God no. I'm about join a class action lawsuit against Sprint for selling me false claims of service. I live in NYC and could not get data service outside my apartment (Astoria Queens) so I called Sprint to complain and the rep said that I was all paid up and that I would not have to pay any ETF but now I'm getting billed by Sprint.
T-Mobile is miles better than Sprint, the difference is night and day. Sprint is not the "Now Network" as they claim, it's the fecal matter iffy nonexistent service network.
Yeah I call BS on you.
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I will freely admit that areas of NY have crappy Sprint service. It isn't 2g but 4g is spotty
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+1
**Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!**
Do you live in New York? Can you verify their claim? Or, are you just talking outta your ass like you claim they are?
He read it on Sprints website, so it's the truth. Fanboy at its finest.
I'm the kind of guy who stops a microwave at one second to feel like a bomb defuser.
You shouldn't talk about yourself like that.
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You're lame. You may have the worst comebacks I've ever seen.
I'm the kind of guy who stops a microwave at one second to feel like a bomb defuser.
Ah the lack of intelligence. You need an education
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From whom? Because if it's from you, please enlighten me.
I'm the kind of guy who stops a microwave at one second to feel like a bomb defuser.
My main gripe about this will be price! If all of our carriers are premium, what'll happen to our low cost plans, and the uncarrier movement?
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Softbank has a history of merging companies and lowering prices.
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I cannot see those things really going away. They will still be third, but in a much stronger position.
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I don't see one good thing that consumers will benefit from this deal between two devils.
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Then you are not seeing anything
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I honestly don't. But what are your opposing thoughts? Better coverage, end of CDMA, freedom of choice?
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All of the above PLUS actual competition from a subscriber base that is large enough to make a real difference. The two at the top have been dictating things for too long
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Then you're blind.
**Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!**
As optimistic as you guys are for this to happen, you can't deny that you're speculating the benefits of this deal. There's no telling what Softbank would do, once this deal is all said and done. They could both raise prices and remove unlimited data, both very real possibilities.
No telling what Softbank will do? That's wrong. Look at the history of Softbank and what they have done in Japan and elsewhere. In Japan when the bought and merged companies they lowered prices.
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Even with that being the case, that's not a predictor of what they would do in the US market. You're speculating, based on past performance. You don't know for sure. That's my point.
You are really daft.
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I've proven my point. When factually backed into a corner, you resort to insulting those that don't support your position or agenda. Unless you work for Sprint, you know nothing. You have to live with yourself, at the end of the day.
Enjoy Internet anonymity while it lasts. The day will come, when you play the Internet bully and it cones back and haunts you in more ways than one.
He really needs to expand his vocabulary, I can think of other words to use other than daft.
I'm the kind of guy who stops a microwave at one second to feel like a bomb defuser.
That's rich coming from an American.
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You haven't proven anything. Just made false statements that don't hold up to the facts.
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I'll wait to hold judgement and see where this goes. I don't like Sprint one bit and will not go back to them. If Softbank buys T-Mobile and merges the 2 companies keeping all that makes T-Mobile together and dissolves sprint then I will be inclined to stay but if they merge and T-Mobile with it's uncarrier and truly unlimited no throttling plans go away then I will have no choice but to go to AT&T even though I know they don't have unlimited. GSM better stay as well and get rid of CDMA.
Well Sprint LTE phones have Gsm bands. For 3G and 2G. Also LTE is the future.
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I recently switched from Sprint to T-Mobile because I needed better service in the NYC area. 3 months down, I'm really happy with them... so happy, that the thought of a merge between them and Sprint is rather appalling. T-Mo has done a lot of good in the cellular-scape and it'd be best if they could keep at it alone. Just my opinion.
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They can't keep at it alone.
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They are not going to just cut things off for either company. It would be counterproductive to cut service
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Of course the FCC will scrutinize this deal... After all, one has unlimited data, the other great prices and both are good for the consumer and bad for the greedy competition (I'm looking at you Verizon and AT&T). And since FCC is not for the good of the consumer, we can bet they'll try to stop this.
The panda has spoken
The FCC is not what it was a year ago. I am willing to give them a shot.
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Worst news ever..."
I kinda can think of worse.
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Best news ever
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I can kinda think of better
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It only seems this way for Sprint subscribers.
Well no. T-Mobile's CFO said the merger has to happen for T-Mobile to stay alive. The CEO has publicly supported the merger as long as he is in charge which all reports to him being. So you really don't do research. If anyone is going to benefit it is going to be the wireless industry as a whole. Consumers. And T Mobile subscribers. As well as Sprint. But you hate research.
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I'll stop arguing and insulting you, brother. I will say this: we shall see where this acquisition takes T-Mobile and the wireless industry. I do apologize for all of the insults.
This is only acceptable if T-Mobile stays and Sprint completely disappears. T-Mobile and Legere have done a lot to I forgive competition to the mobile market.
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Both need to go away and come back as one, stronger, entity.
Don't care who runs it
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Well DT owns the T Mobile brand. Will they sell that? That's doubtful. They may license it. Most likely they will keep the Sprint name or come up with a new name.
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Ouch, good point I forgot that tmo is really theirs. Makes a stronger case for the rebranding for both
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Yeah. I mean I can't see DT giving away the T-Mobile branding. They may license it. I don't see Softbank agreeing to a license. I think rebranding would be the best option. Maybe S Mobile lol. Or maybe bring the Softbank naming. Or something completely new like Orange and T Mobile UK did when they merged and came up with EE.
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Yeah I can see a total rebrand as the best/only choice out of it all
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I cannot believe the ignorant comments I'm reading here.
**Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!**
+1
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+1
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As a T-mo customer, I will get a pager and give up wireless if this happens
The lack of intelligence in you is vast
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Why do you feel the need to insult everyone that doesn't agree with you?
This person has nothing better to do. My comment was a pure joke but idiots like Cord do this on a day-to-day basis. Maybe he had a bad childhood and the internet is his only means of coping with his fears...either way its the internet and he can pretend to be whoever he wants to be.
He's Grim that's why. Don't go against him or else lol
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Because it makes him feel better about himself. He's the type of kid that was a bully, but cried to his mommy because he couldn't understand why nobody wanted to be his friend. Plus this is the first time (a really long time) that Sprint is in the news for a positive.
I'm the kind of guy who stops a microwave at one second to feel like a bomb defuser.
How little you know.
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I may know little, but what I do know is that I know more than you. The fact that you have to insult someone shows your lack of character. The fact that you are calling people a stupid American shows that you grasp for straws because you lack any ability to actually post a relevant insult. What great country are you from?
I'm the kind of guy who stops a microwave at one second to feel like a bomb defuser.
Don't waste your time with people that suck at life.
It's not wasting time, I'm just reminding him what a douche he is.
I'm the kind of guy who stops a microwave at one second to feel like a bomb defuser.
Oh how cute you are.
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You swing that way?
I'm the kind of guy who stops a microwave at one second to feel like a bomb defuser.
I rather go to ATT if this merger would ever happen
LG Optimus G Pro - Beanstalk 4.4 Bitches!
Sony Xperia Z1 LTE C6906
LG Nexus 5 White 32gb
You have a low iq
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You have Softbank's cock in your mouth. See? I can be an asshole, too.
And you are a homophobic twat. Typical American.
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Awwww... My feelings are hurt. Not homophobic at all. But, you're a blind Sprint fanboy. Typical foolish internet tough guy.
So true.
I'm the kind of guy who stops a microwave at one second to feel like a bomb defuser.
OK. Why?
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Don't mind me. I'm a neutral party. I'm just here to enjoy the comment war. *eats popcorn*
Lol... Nice. Need more butter?
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Why, yes please. lol
so the guy that tried so hard to stop AT&T from buying T Mobil. Went and scooped them up.what a smart d bag!
Actually no. It was Softbank.
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I'm not buying the argument that a combined company would be a stronger competitor. Even from the 4th placed position T-Mobile has impacted the pricing of att and Verizon meaningfully.
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With a huge cost per customer acquisition which in the long run is unsustainable.
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I'm going to echo stoneworrior:
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
We need to promote COMPETITION, not consolidation.
That is what this does. Neither can compete against Verizon or att
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Looks like T-Mobile customers will finally get service where I live and work everyone says Sprint sucks but it works better than Verizon and AT&T where I am I work in a cooler all day and can stream YouTube Pandora spotify all day and know one else can
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That's probably because they are afraid to go over their data limits, not the actual service. ;-)
I'm the kind of guy who stops a microwave at one second to feel like a bomb defuser.
This will be a win win for both company's especially Sprint, their service is so sup par it can only get better with a merger.
The same can be said for tmo in a lot of places.
It is a win-win
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This is horrible... 10+ year t-mobile customer, and I love the company... I will leave if Sprint makes this purchase.
It's Softbank. Not Sprint. Do some research.
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Stop it. Softbank will not run competing companies in the same market.
They will merge and restructure everything
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You missed the point of what I was saying. It's Softbank buying the company. Not Sprint.
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Overall yes, and I get your point
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I just hope this doesn't happen. Why risk something that's getting better and I don't care what Grim and a pair of dogs tell me, I don't want T-Mobile to change whatsoever or have shares owned by Softbank.
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Do you want to to exist? How about have the subscriber base to really cause change instead of just talking big and making small gains?
If you are for those things you should love this merger
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Bruh I'm pretty sure I'll exist without a phone.
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Then you really have nothing to worry about, bruh
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I can still exist and be worried lol
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Lol... I didn't see that autocorrect got me there, touche
Obviously I meant to say not 'to to' but 'tmo to'
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Your lack of intelligence is stunning. Typical American.
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i feel bad for TMO customers if sprint gets their paws on them it will be all over for those enjoying all of those so called freedoms that we on ATT and Verizon don't get. However just my thought if they didn't let the ATT Tmob acquisition go through there is no way the DOJ will let this go through so even though these bums agreed Tmob just gonna end up with another company paying them for a failed merger.
Wrong.
Tmo and sprint both offer the same kinds of freedoms from Verizon and att, so that is not gonna change.
Att and tmo got shot down because combined the subscriber base would be way out of whack. Even merged, tmo and sprint would be in third place, but provide real competition
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So there goes good priced cellular plans. yay.
Sprint and tmo are close in pricing, and a merger would only help that
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No offense, brother, but no one knows how this merger will price its plans. Until we see some hard numbers on future plans, it's pure speculation as to what they will be.
Some people may have brash opinions about this, but, others have very real concerns. Who's to say this merger doesn't mimic the behaviors of AT&T and Verizon and remove unlimited data? Or raise prices? No one truthfully knows.
because you have sense Merc, most of the people champion this are the S4guys who believe this will be good if Sprint buys customers. The same customers that just left their network. The same customers who had bad experience on that network.
We all supposed to on a whim just take Sprint/Softbank on their word(who Softbank still is number 3 in Japan) that in a few more years everything will be smelling like roses.
Can combining two decent networks into one good network be a bad thing?
Putting pricing aside, the networks will improve and the unlimited data will not go away.
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Well, we'll see how everything works out. For all we know, this could work out to be a great thing for the wireless industry.
That is very true. Pricing could change and go higher.
I am more inclined to think that they would keep many more of the good things about both companies ( good pricing, unlimited data) and coverage to rival vzw and att.
Right now way too many people think this is the absolute end of the mobile world as we know it, and that is just not the case IMHO
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I agree. We should take the wait and see approach, before passing judgment.
Is that a Palm Pre cameo?
People don't switch to T-Mobile because they want the best network/spectrum. They switch because they are tired of overpaying for data caps, subsidies, contracts, and overages. What's worrisome is that a merged, big-two competitor, will not have the same desperate incentive to 'shake things up' as the little guy does with the uncarrier initiative. Sure, magenta might end up with a larger spectrum portfolio and a bit more purchasing power.... but I don't care. I love the uncarrier.
The good news is that tmo and sprint are similar on pricing, and there is no data cap with them.
This will be great competition for Verizon and att
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Ye people who only see the little bitty tiny picture. After spending 100 billion dollars, I have a feeling that prices MAY go up a little. You're either a dreamer or a fool if you think prices will remain the same if this takes place. Competition demands that this new company price itself along with it's competition if it wants to remain a player.
Why can they not keep the same pricing as they do now? They will actually make MORE money on the deal through combining the companies and through the shear quantity of customers they will have. 50b is nothing in the long term, especially if you look at the cash that softbank has on hand.
Why did they take the loan if they have so much cash? Because that is the way corporate finance works. They get to take write downs and other tax breaks because of it.
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there will be no more Magenta it will be Yellow and Black Sprint the Tmobile brand will be gone if they do merge so no purchasing power for them the spectrum will be refarmed for sprints spark or lte whatever they call theirs and everyone will become sprint customers in a way glad i am on ATT would not want sprint or soft bank running my crap just feel bad for those tomb folks that are against this but again i do not think the DOJ will allow it they didn't all the ATT merger no way this goes through either.
Did you say anything that actually made a link of sense? I didn't think so
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Here's the deal... Let's assume this clears the FCC.. Which carrier, and which phone do you buy after it goes through? What I mean is, this sounds like the att/cricket shit where a few thousand people have to buy new phones, but on much larger scale... I'm glad I like my tmobile M8..
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It could go exactly lime when sprint shut down the iden network. Stop selling cdma phones on, for the sake of argument, August 1st. For the next 2.5 years with every bill let people know that cdma is shutting down.
In 2 years all contracts are up and no one has to pay anything goes extra for a new phone. Simple.
On top of that, most phones next year will be lte-a and the point will be kinda moot.
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That's true. But since I've switched my lte speeds here where I live are 2 times faster than AT&T lte and faster than Verizon lte most of the times. Hopefully things will get better faster. Especially since their converting 2g to lte it can only help to have more money coming in. I guess we'll see
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You are wrong, I switched to T-Mobile because my data speeds are twice as fast as all other Carriers, I still have a unlimited Verizon account which I put on self suspension, I had Sprint and ATT, none can even come close to the T-Mobile data speeds in my area. Live in a suburb or Boston, my T-Mobile HSPA+ data speeds are almost twice as fast as all the other Carriers LTE speeds. My T-Mobile LTE speeds are 3 times faster than al others. Throw in real unlimited data without throttling and some free tethering data and that is why I'm a very happy T-Mobile customer.
The only good I see from this is that the lte from both companies will enhance both networks and since lte technology is mostly similar albeit different bands I think it will help both companies. The cdma part with gsm is the part I'm hesitant about, ever since the Nextel debacle. I guess we will see. Overall I don't think it will be too bad plus things won't start changing for a while.
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Not a good few weeks.. First AT&T wants to merge with Directv now this...
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This is good news. This will lead to a stronger wireless industry.
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Demigod
I'm the kind of guy who stops a microwave at one second to feel like a bomb defuser.
Sprints CDMA based Network will absolutely destroy T-Mobile's GSM Network. This is the worst thing for the US T-Mobile customers. I get the absolute best service from T-Mobile, better than all other Carriers and I have had them all. Once or if this merger happens the great service and super fast data speeds will be something of the past. Sprint will screw this up big time. They are still screwing around with their pathetic Network. If this happens I will be changing Carriers, I don't want to but Sprint is that bad.
Wrong, lte-a will make the cdma/gsm argument invalid
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So, how long will it take to deploy this lte-a across both networks? A better question is after Softbank buys T-Mobile, where is the money coming from to make a lte-a network happen in the next 10 years?
You need to research softbank. The have 100s of BILLIONS, laying around.
Money is not the object. Do you think that all these upgrades that sprint has been doing do not include LTE-A tech?
Lte-a is already a reality in the US and other countries. It is not like we need to develop it anymore. It is just flicking a switch
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How long before sprint rolls out any meaningful lte–a? They have jumped from 3G to wimax to lte to spark and have wound up on the losing end each time.
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Wimax was a great investment if you see it for what it really was.
They bought spectrum on the condition they put 4g on it within a certain time frame. Wimax was the only thing available. If they did not do it they old have lost what they had already paid for.
At the time it was the only real choice
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If anything CDMA will not be in the picture. What will likely happen is that the two systems will merge on LTE-A. CDMA will last for awhile but we will not be forced to get new CDMA handsets. If that happens there will be a flight to better.
+1 to CDMA dying. Cannot happen fast enough
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It's not Sprint. It's Softbank. And your argument about cdma and gsm is invalid.
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Sprint LTE phones have GSM bands for voice and data.
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Just wanna throw out that it's soft bank and not sprint just in case no one knew...
Posted From a smart device.
Softbank owns sprint. *flies away*
And Softbank is different from Sprint. Try doing some research as you fly away.
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LOL at all the end of the world comments.
As someone who has fairly recently switched from Sprint to T-Mobile I have very mixed feelings about this. But honestly I just have to laugh everytime I think about it.
This is not getting approved. I guarantee it.
Lol.. That's a cute stance
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It's pretty simple actually. Just think long and hard. Don't hurt yourself in the process.
It is getting good approved, there is no competition once you get below att, this will provide that competition that has been missing.
This is nothing but a good thing
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But you said you get such great Sprint service, why would you even want T-Mobile and Sprint to merge??? Sprint customers want this merger and MOST T-Mobile customers don't, wonder why??? Think about it.
Because the only way that there can be real competition is to have a subscriber base as large as att and Verizon.
And there are places that tmo is better, just as there are places where sprint is better than tmo. Who wouldn't want those gaps to go away?
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Once again.....this.
**Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!**
If this gets approved the US cellular market will practically be an oligopoly
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Every move T-mobile has made in the past year has been copied in some form by Verizon and ATT. Programs like Jump, paying to switch providers and even recently a 500mb base increase to data plans without extra costs. I think that is what competition is called. I don't recall Sprint causing any similar changes in the market recently.
Softbank has done more than T Mobile
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It sounds like you're the proud owner of a Softbank dildo.
Hahahaha, now that's funny.
I'm the kind of guy who stops a microwave at one second to feel like a bomb defuser.
Stupid Americans can't stand facts. They have to restort to insults and not very good ones but you are a stupid American so I shouldn't expect much.
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I'm not American or am I? You seem to think you know it all. Actually you're the one that started throwing insults around, you're a hypocrite. You don't like it when someone comes back at your lame attempt to degrade someone.
I'm the kind of guy who stops a microwave at one second to feel like a bomb defuser.
But, Sprint hasn't. T-Mobile is the reason why each phone company now has device financing; they're the reason why Verizon and AT&T have been lowering prices and offering more data. They're the reason why each phone company has been offering more promotions, in the recent months. Buy, go ahead and blindly disagree, because everything I just said seems to contradict your agenda.
If you think Verizon and AT&T have been lowering prices you are even more daft than I thought.
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Actually, they have. Do your research, instead of blindly supporting Sprint. Due to TMobile's UnCarrier promos, AT&T and Verizon have been lowering prices and offering more data for current plans. If you can't see that, then you're more daft than you're accusing other people of being. But, please, don't let me stop you from being a blind Sprint fanboy. Keep on insulting people. Only on the Internet can fools like you be tough.
+1
I'm the kind of guy who stops a microwave at one second to feel like a bomb defuser.
No way the FCC approves this. They want 4 major carriers. In the end Sprint/Softbank will wind up having to give T-Mobile money for this attempted (but failed) purchase.
Actually no. Since the deal is between Softbank and T-Mobile's parent company. And if you want actually good and better service you better hope it Happens
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If the same parent company owns both, then the FCC will see it as such. Keeping them named separate names will not keep it out of the FCC's hands. If Softbank were to own both, they would differ in name only before too long and have the same billing/data plans, phones, etc. Essentially they WOULD be the same carriers.
+1
dude... STFU.. we get it.. you LOVE softbank.. apparently you are THE ONLY ONE
You are daft
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+1
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Sure, just like that great Sprint service those customers are getting now. You obviously must have ties to Sprint. They have the most pathetic data speeds and service for a company that has been around so long. It's embarassing to say the least.
I get great sprint service, and crappy tmo
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If you are getting such great Sprint service then why the hell would you want that Lousy T-Mobile service to interfere with that great Sprint service??? I want nothing to do with 5mb LTE download speeds. Sprint can't even get out of their own way.
Whynotboth. Jpg
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You speak pure BS. Your company Sprint is not the "now network", it's the fecal matter nonexistent LTE network.
Do some research
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I'm not sure what the FCC can do against two foreign companies making a transaction.
Plenty. They absolutely can stop it as T-Mobile is a US company, and operates here. Think about the restrictions European regulators have put on Microsoft and Google which are US based companies.
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Yeah but that doesn't stop them from buying up many companies
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Two forgeign companies making a transaction? Nothing. However within the US, they can deem that the US-based spectrum be used by separately owned companies. So they can make the transaction, but the FCC can then say that they must sell the T-Mobile owned spectrum or just cease it if push came to shove. Softbank will have to work by the FCC's rules if they want to run a carrier(s) in the US. The FCC has FINAL say about who uses the spectrum within the US.
Actually no. Since the deal is between Softbank and T-Mobile's parent company. And if you want actually good and better service you better hope it Happens
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softbank's money + john legere's maverick's philosophies = profit.
one could make the case sprint really has no choice here.
Neither does tmo, that is why this is a perfect marriage
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Now that I have my gloating out of the way, I will reiterate my position from before. The two of them together will actually be able to put up a fair fight to the likes of ATT and Verizon. They will have the subscriber base, the bandwidth and the infrastructure to get it done. They also have the attitude that they want to shake the status quo.
I am not a huge fan of marketplace contraction and lack of competition, but it is not like either Sprint or TMO were much competition to the other two anyway.
We need to embrace this change.
...and no, the fact that one is CDMA and one is GSM is NOT a factor that needs to be worried about. LTE-A will be the equalizer, and even before then it will not matter.
GO SPRINT MOBILE
ANOTHER PERSON WHO CAN'T SEE TH FORREST FOR THE TREES. T-MOBILE'S BASE WILL ALL BUT DISAPPEAR IF THIS TOOK PLACE. I HATE AT&T BUT I ABSOLUTELY DESPISE SPRINT AND ANYTHING SPRINT REPLATED. T-MOBILE IS DOING JUST FINE DOING IT'S OWN THING. GIVE IT TWO-FOUR YEARS AND IT WILL BE THE NUMBER ONE CARRIER IN THE USA. YOU STOCK OWNING GREED MONKEYS NEED TO SIT BACK AND LET IT BE. KEEP YOU GRUBBY LITTLE PAWS OFF MY T-MOBILE!
You cannot see the future and are only thinking of what you have now. What you have now, one way or another, will cease to exist. The better way is by tmo merging with sprint. The other way is bankruptcy and a selling of assets.
Which would you prefer?
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T mobile doing just fine? Yeah that's why they can't make a profit. Also writing in all caps just shows everyone how stupid you are
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Somebody's Caps lock key is broken......
Hell no!!!! Sprint was ao against att buying tmobile, even though it made sense because they were both gsm. Now sprint wants to buy it! No! Just no! I love what tmobile is doing, once they expanded there lte network I will probably switch to them. I don't need sprint ruining everything. (Someone should tweet about the merger to tmobile's ceo. )
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It's Softbank. Not Sprint. And T-Mobile's CEO is for the merger.
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OH GOT DAMN! Will you please go away. Are you that SON dude in disguise? GO BACK TO YOUR SPRINT FORUM.
Your lack in intellect is shocking
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Hopefully the FCC has a memory equal to yours.
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Except that most of the commission that was there then, are gone now and the FCC is a totally different agency(at the top) than they were back then.
On this I speak from experience
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I have sprint. .and lately they have been very shitty..
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I was with Sprint for 13 years and just switched to another carrier earlier this year... trust me they have been shitty for a long time.
Not since Softbank.
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Yes since Softbank. They took over Sprint in July of last year but I didn't dump Sprint until this past February. And I dumped them because their service had gotten so bad that I had no choice. I went for over 2 weeks with absolutely no service before I just gave up. I was with them for 13 years, so trust me I didn't make that decision lightly.
BS
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Ok, you're full of shit. If the person isn't glorifying Sprint, they're a liar? How would you know? Do you work for Sprint? Are you a shareholder? You sure seem to have an awfully difficult time letting people express their opinions or share their experiences when it doesn't seem to further your agenda.
When their opinions are factual inaccurate they deserve to be ridiculed. But you stupid Americans love making stuff up and passing it off as fact
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Why do you have such an interest in this deal? One would assume that your not from America based on your lame insults, but it's wise never to assume. I'm guessing you live in America. Like some typical foreigners talk bad about the country, but take everything that you can get.
I'm the kind of guy who stops a microwave at one second to feel like a bomb defuser.
The problem with that statement is that you're ridiculing people that share their sub-par Sprint experiences. There are people that have great service; and there are people that have shitty service. But, as soon as someone points out that they have a bad experience, you take it personal and turn into a whiny little Sprint-loving cocksucker.
ouch...lol
The good news is that with all the spectrum and towers they (and I mean the new company) all the complaints should go away.
It is going to depend on the concession that the FCC are going to require.
Yeah, lol
IS this where I get to say that
I TOLD YOU SO?
You people who derided me can start apologizing by hitting the reply button.
Will it get approved? I do not know, but as i told you many times, this deal was going to get done between DT and Softbank.
I guess they really will be the UNCARRIER after all....
Keep John Legere in charge and kick Dan Hesse out and it will be okay
I apologize after I bang your mom tonight... Then, maybe, just maybe I will... Or maybe your Mom should apologize to you instead of swallowing...LMAO.. go away kid with your stupid comments.
Hahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!
Yeah John would be better.
Yes brag! I want this merger to happen. Anything to compete with Verizon and at&t.
WHEN I SEE DT AND SOFTBANK ON A STAGE MAKING A DEAL, THEN YOU GET TO SAY I TOLD YOU SO. AS THIS IS MERELY SPECULATION AT THIS POINT - HUSH!
If you read the article, the agreement is done.
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I have no idea what you're talking about, but it still has to clear the FCC... Knowing them, they'll say something like "only if you let comcast in on it and charge more money.
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Actually I think it will be sell towers and bandwidth to dish, which is just as bad
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While "management" may have changed, the absolute debacle Sprint had when they bought Nextel makes me have almost no faith they'll manage T-Mobile well. I don't care that the excuse is to better compete with at&t and Verizon. You compete by having good service and prices, even if you're not as big as them.
First off all its Softbank not Sprint. Softbank has success in doing this. Also you have no understanding of the US wireless industry.
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You are a shill for the wireless industry. See how I can turn an opinion into a fact just like you did?
YOU KEEP SAYING THAT! PLEASE BE SO KIND AS TO ENLIGHTEN AS POOR DUMB IDIOTS ON HOW SOFTBANK AND SINGLE HANDEDLY REVAMPED THE WIRELESS INDUSTRY. PLEASE OH WISE GOD OF DE MOBILE WORLD. TELL US POOR FOOLS HOW TRULY AWESOME THIS WILL BE FOR US IF WE ALLOW GOD SON TO RULE OVER US.
You can Google just like the rest of us. Do your own homework before you think something is going suck. Take you emotions out of it and look at the facts. Softbank didn't make those billions without doing some things right
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I used to like sprint. Sprint was the best carrier in my area back in 2005...Then lte came out. Sprint did the wimax on all their 3G towers, and service dropped off tenfold. Now they changed them to spark, and they cover the same footprint as the wimax did. Sprint says they are done in my area... Tmobile came in and lit us up... They are better than Verizon around here... Sprint says they have no future upgrade plans... Hopefully they keep tmobile towers.
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Keeping the towers is going to be up to the FCC. Concessions are going to have to be made to get this by them, and some of those may be selling towers to whomever is the #5 carrier (or regional carriers) now.
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You know writing in all caps shows you are daft. Like severely daft. It shows you don't have facts. Nor an argument. Also what has Softbank done to revamp and change the wireless industry. Look it up. They have done more than any of the US carriere combined. Did they just make billions and Son become one of the richest men on earth by doing everything wrong?
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Here's the sequence of events:
1) Sprint will ruin TMo
2) Anyone, including myself, with a clear mind will leave T-Mobile
3) Mission = Fail
So, we end up with a sh*tty 3rd carrier with people leaving it in droves for something better - one of the two evil companies. This is terrible and stupid.
It won't be Sprint. It is Softbank. Softbank has success in doing this. The combined network will be able to actually get this done. T Mobile executives have said they want it to happen. This will put Sprint and T Mobile in better positions. It will finally give a real strong competitor with the big 2. which is something we don't have. Sprint and T Mobile have both improved their networks but not lag behind. A combined company could pull more weight. Especially in spectrum auctions. Also T Mobile's management team is suppose to be brought in to head the new company.
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Dude! Give it a rest! THAT BIG WASTE OF YELLOW SPACE THAT IS SPRINT WILL RUIN T-MOBILE. HOW THE HELL WILL TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT NETWORKS MERGE TO MAKE A BETTER COMPANY? THE COST ALLOW WILL BANKRUPT THE BOTH OF THEM. AND WITH SON SOON TO BE FACING CORRUPTION CHARGES THIS WILL DESTROY BOTH COMPANIES.
Because they can promote real change and the difference in networks doesn't matter even a little?
You really need to read up on the go before you speak
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How does this make things better for Tmobile customers, they left Sprint for Tmobile, Verizon, and AT&T for a reason do you think they want to go back? NO they will leave again. I swear you guys can't wrap ya'll head around the most basic stuff.
Because tmo customers will get better coverage outside of major cities? Because tmo customers, with sprints, will be able to actually cause change on a wider scale?
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If they where on Sprint and they left Sprint obviously Coverage outside the major cities wasn't an Issue.
Maybe it was the coverage in the major cities and the merger would take care of that as well. We know that until recently sprint didn't have the spectrum for great building penatration
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The lack of intelligence in you is stunning
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Yeah miss me with that S4gurus B.S. people don't like Sprint and will leave.
Yeah but the two combined will be a different animal altogether. Go pay your high prices with att or Verizon if you are that opposed. No one is stopping you
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Writing in all caps proves you lack intelligence and have no argument. Also Sprint LTE phones have Gsm bands. Also everyone is moving to LTE. Daft fool. Try some research next time.
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Once everyone moves to LTE, it won't matter, especially now that companies are transitioning to voice over LTE.
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I honestly hope this does NOT happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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If you want better service you better hope it does
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How will this improve service?
How? I thought sprint used CDMA?
I know right. I thought most tmobile phones were different in some sort of way especially compared to Sprint's.
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Tmobile is GSM, Sprint is CDMA. But LTE is a GSM technology, so once all of T-Mobile's and Sprint's towers are LTE upgraded and they switch over to Voice over LTE (like verizon is already starting to do) then there are very few compatability hurdles except for hardware with the correct radio bands.
Even if they remain separate US companies under a majority control of Softbank the shared bandwidth and network footprint increase could be very beneficial for consumers. I agree we won't know for sure for some time, but Son is intelligent and could make this great for his company and American consumers.
Does not matter
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My service is fricken excellent RIGHT NOW! Sprint will destroy my good thing.
Right because sprint is going to turn tmo off and shut everything down.
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Fucken sprint. Don't they understand that no one wants them to interfere with shit?!
T-mobile is the only one trying to change things for the better.
Key word being 'trying'.
**Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!**
last time i checked that was japan dude... lmao..
Germans and Pearl Harbor? I must have missed something.
These guys have never seen Animal House.... Sad.
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Very sad
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Extremely sad
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Beyond sad, pathetic!
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Very sad indeed :(
Unbelievable...
**Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!**
It's Softbank. And it won't be Sprint. It will be a new company with T-Mobile's management at the head.
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Keep telling yourself that. The only people rooting for this bullshit merger is people on Sprint or people on T-Mobile who live in the boonies with bad reception.
Do some research
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cordawgfrito
You're observations, analysis, and conclusions make the most sense.
I feel as if we don't have the merger it'll be great! I want it and all but if we don't have it that's more money for the "new" sprint to improve their network and I'm all for it .
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At $350 per ETF, T-mobile will be out of money and out of spectrum before they make any more meaningful changes. Uncarrier 5.0 will likely accelerate the spending.
All T-mobile is doing is trying to make themselves look more attractive for another company to buy and inherit their problems by boosting their subscriber count.
+1, said that a few months ago
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As much as we are all worried what will happen if Tmo is bought by Sprint. We are all looking at this as Sprint will muck this up even bigger than Nextel. By all rights we should be concerned. That said from the article in Reuters, it mentioned that first DT may still hold a 15% stake in the new company. Also the management team including Legerre would be taking over and directing the new company. If that happens then i'm cool with it. Son is aggressive, but he is far from stupid. I think that's more the reason why he wants Tmo. He knows how bad Sprint is right now and needs that new talent.
This is nothing like the nextel merger. Its being done by totally different people. The highschool student that runs T-Mobile will probably be the one in charge so all the T-Mobile honks can settle down. Merging two networks with tons of spectrum is a good thing.
**Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!**
How much is it going to cost and what effects will it have on the consumer base while all the Sprint tech or converted to T-Mobile tech? Sprint and T-Mobile don't have compatible networks.
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They'll run them as separate companies for now, then eventually merge people on to one side
**Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!**
Wrong again bob
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That is all a reasonable comment
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We just can't win
You don't realize this is a win
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So now our only choice will be AT&T or Verizon? Because Sprint sucks and they will mess up Tmo too. Ugh.
You don't know what you are talking about. And it's not Sprint. It's Softbank. Just look at what Softbank has done for the wireless industry.
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yeah, cause they sure turned sprint around....
They sure have. NV 1.0 rollout has significantly picked up pace, and 2.0 is just starting. LTE everywhere I've been with it, and even the 3G speeds have improved back to where it should be. With the throttling of the network abusers starting on 6/1 it'll only make the new network improvements that much more evident.
go back to S4gurus with that crap
Don't like facts eh
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+1
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You do not live in CO then. Sprint sucks so bad here, much worse in the last couple years. I do not miss them.
Actually it's widely agreed that they have. Next time do a little research.
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not compared to what tmo has been doing. I was on sprint... i am not talking out of my ass. I FN hated them. Service, customer service, everything.
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