AT&T Wireless purchases Leap Wireless (Cricket Wireless)

[avb]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/12/us-att-leap-idUSBRE96B10520130712

 

 

I would have liked to have seen Sprint purchase Cricket.  In markets like Houston where Sprint could use more PCS spectrum this would have been a good fit. 

[Deval]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/12/us-att-leap-idUSBRE96B10520130712

 

 

I would have liked to have seen Sprint purchase Cricket.  In markets like Houston where Sprint could use more PCS spectrum this would have been a good fit. 

 

Oh crap, I know Sprint uses Leap/Cricket for roaming, should make things more interesting now.

[Nickel]

There's not many non-mvno's left in the wireless game if this goes through. Now the question is what will happen to USCC? I hope Sprint could get them, seems like a would be a good addition.

[thewezgrays]

Damn you AT&T....

 

There hasn't been very much consumer-friendly news in wireless lately.

[JeffDTD]

ATT and Verizon will rush to suck up as many small carriers as possible in light of sprint having the capacity to now compete. We will see more.

 

Sent from my Note II. Its so big.

 

 

[thewezgrays]

ATT and Verizon will rush to suck up as many small carriers as possible in light of sprint having the capacity to now compete. We will see more.

 

Sent from my Note II. Its so big.

 

And compete I hope they do. 

 

Roaming is getting more dicey (100mb on new plan limit), small carriers we roam on now are being swallowed up by the big boys.  To compete with their new plans as they now have them set up they better start expanding their coverage into the many rural areas that VZW and ATT already are -- and fast (should be 'easy' with all the freed up 800)...

[DaQue]

Does the FCC and Justice have to sign off on this?

[Deval]

Where's the spectrum map? I'm curious what Leap owned where.

[Nickel]

Does the FCC and Justice have to sign off on this?

Yes.

[hxnk134]

Does the FCC and Justice have to sign off on this?

Yes. It'll be really close.

AJ, Robert: will Feds oppose this?

[hxnk134]

If this goes through, it'll totally screw with Legere's plan to weaken then buy Leap:

 

T-Mobile US (NYSE:TMUS) CEO John Legere hinted at a new prepaid offering from the company, called Apollo 15, that will target Leap Wireless' (NASDAQ:LEAP) Cricket-branded prepaid customer base

 

Read more: T-Mobile CEO hints at new prepaid plan, says he's 'intrigued' by Dish's vision - FierceWireless http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/t-mobile-ceo-hints-new-prepaid-plan-says-hes-intrigued-dishs-vision/2013-07-12#ixzz2Ys7q0zBE

Subscribe at FierceWireless

 

If it doesn't go through, TMO will definitely buy Leap.

[hxnk134]

Where's the spectrum map? I'm curious what Leap owned where.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/21/wheres-the-spectrum-this-map-will-show-you/

[Deval]

Yep, I checked, and interesting, Leap has a bunch of AWS, why would AT&T want that? 

[bigsnake49]

Watch Sprint go after T-Mobile.

[MacPCS]

And compete I hope they do. 

 

Roaming is getting more dicey (100mb on new plan limit), small carriers we roam on now are being swallowed up by the big boys.  To compete with their new plans as they now have them set up they better start expanding their coverage into the many rural areas that VZW and ATT already are -- and fast (should be 'easy' with all the freed up 800)...

The transaction won't close for 6-9 months - pending approval.  I'm sure it'll be approved but after that then the roaming agreement would come into play really.  That's an eternity because Sprint should be in a significantly better position with their network (Specifically 800Mhz deployment) at that point.  I don't think it's a huge deal.  

 

Any idea what the expectations are for spectrum divestment, if any?

[khammondnm]

Watch Sprint go after T-Mobile.

I doubt that would happen, but would definitely "shake up" the mobile market.

[MacPCS]

I doubt that would happen, but would definitely "shake up" the mobile market.

I don't think the feds would approve it anyway.  Sprint is viewed as a legitimate #3 now because of their spectrum position.  T-Mobile would be two problems.  

 

First being regulatory approval.

 

Second would be that it's basically another Nextel.  Nobody needs that.  Not Sprint and not T-Mobile.  

[khammondnm]

I don't think the feds would approve it anyway.  Sprint is viewed as a legitimate #3 now because of their spectrum position.  T-Mobile would be two problems.  

 

First being regulatory approval.

 

Second would be that it's basically another Nextel.  Nobody needs that.  Not Sprint and not T-Mobile.  

areed!  Not to mention they are currently overlaying lte in some of the same markets.  It would just be a mess to bring the networks together.

[bigsnake49]

I don't think the feds would approve it anyway.  Sprint is viewed as a legitimate #3 now because of their spectrum position.  T-Mobile would be two problems.  

 

First being regulatory approval.

 

Second would be that it's basically another Nextel.  Nobody needs that.  Not Sprint and not T-Mobile.  

 

 

I don't think the feds would approve it anyway.  Sprint is viewed as a legitimate #3 now because of their spectrum position.  T-Mobile would be two problems.  

 

First being regulatory approval.

 

Second would be that it's basically another Nextel.  Nobody needs that.  Not Sprint and not T-Mobile.  

 

 

I think the fantasy is that there can be 4 viable competitors, the reality is that there can be only 3. Verizon and AT&T had the 850 Mhz spectrum as well as the landline business to subsidize their wireless expansion in the beginning. I would not be surprised if the feds actually let it go through. Maybe with Sprint having to divest the EBS spectrum.

 

Both T-Mobile and Sprint are deploying LTE. There's your convergence point. 

[Rawvega]

Yep, I checked, and interesting, Leap has a bunch of AWS, why would AT&T want that? 

 

To somewhat make up for the AWS that they foolishly had to give to T-Mobile when their merger fell through.

[MacPCS]

I think the fantasy is that there can be 4 viable competitors, the reality is that there can be only 3. Verizon and AT&T had the 850 Mhz spectrum as well as the landline business to subsidize their wireless expansion in the beginning. I would not be surprised if the feds actually let it go through. Maybe with Sprint having to divest the EBS spectrum.

 

Both T-Mobile and Sprint are deploying LTE. There's your convergence point.

Yes they both are deploying LTE - on different frequencies.   Sprint doesn't need yet another band to support.  They need to focus on the ones they already have that by no means are deployed at any decent level.  It would saddle the company with even more debt and a shedload more CapEx requirements to take advantage of the spectrum.  Not to mention to get T-Mo they'd have to divest some spectrum.  There is ZERO chance the feds let them acquire T-Mo without divesting spectrum.  Not worth it.  

 

Someone else will do a deal with them.  Maybe USCC, maybe even AT&T will give it another go once there are two other strong competitors.  

 

I think certainly there can be four companies though.  I don't see how you can say with something as critical to every business and nearly every person with any sort of income can only be served by three companies across the entire country.  

[bigsnake49]

Yes they both are deploying LTE - on different frequencies.   Sprint doesn't need yet another band to support.  They need to focus on the ones they already have that by no means are deployed at any decent level.  It would saddle the company with even more debt and a shedload more CapEx requirements to take advantage of the spectrum.  Not to mention to get T-Mo they'd have to divest some spectrum.  There is ZERO chance the feds let them acquire T-Mo without divesting spectrum.  Not worth it.  

 

Someone else will do a deal with them.  Maybe USCC, maybe even AT&T will give it another go once there are two other strong competitors.  

 

I think certainly there can be four companies though.  I don't see how you can say with something as critical to every business and nearly every person with any sort of income can only be served by three companies across the entire country.  

 

Not when you have two dominant players like AT&T and Verizon. The other two cannot compete. Not unless they join forces.

 

T-Mobile and Sprint will merge, Sprint will not acquire them. Softbank will be the dominant partner and DTthe minor partner. 

 

The techical integration problems can be overcome. There's no culture problems between the two companies or between their customers. They're both after the same customers.

[IamMrFamous07]

I wanted sprint to acquire them but oh well. I feel sprint and softbank has so much on their plate right now, the last thing they should worry about is another acquisition. Lets get through the remainder of this year first before we acquire someone else. I want them to focus on the rest of network vision 1.0 and 2.0.

 

Maybe middle next year when LTE is covered nationwide then we can focus on acquisitions. I would like for Softbank/sprint go after US cell, Ntelos, Cspire, Southernlinc etc.

[twospirits]

With Sprint allowing Cricket to use its CDMA network since 2010 (for a 5 year agreement ending 2015), i wonder if that would have any implications in this AT&T deal or if the FCC would even allow it.

Just when you think you are out of one telecom drama, here comes another one.

 

TS

[hxnk134]

I think the fantasy is that there can be 4 viable competitors, the reality is that there can be only 3. Verizon and AT&T had the 850 Mhz spectrum as well as the landline business to subsidize their wireless expansion in the beginning. I would not be surprised if the feds actually let it go through. Maybe with Sprint having to divest the EBS spectrum.

 

Both T-Mobile and Sprint are deploying LTE. There's your convergence point.

There can be 4 viable competitors once 600 MHz is deployed.