Official Tmobile-Sprint merger discussion thread

[jefbal99]

My biggest question is which of these two will happen to get regulator approval

1. How much spectrum will new T-Mobint have to divest and who will it go to?

or

2. What terrible concessions will Big Red and the DeathStar get to keep them happy and further screw the industry?

[davidtm]

My question regards the fate of current hardware after such a merger. As I currently use a Sprint HTC U11, I think I'll be fine, but will need to look up what bands it can handle, and whether any of those will be pertinent.  Will VoLTE happen sooner, or later? How will the netowrk handle switching us from band to band, if it's across networks?

[dro1984]

I think many of us will have those questions... but who can really answer that now?    I for one, was thinking about a new phone soon... as I'm currently using a Note 5, which I still love!   The merger, even "if" announced, won't happen until 1 year from now the earliest.   By then there will be all new phones out.    The reality is, it's so far away, phones are not a huge worry!   

[bigsnake49]

42 minutes ago, davidtm said:

My question regards the fate of current hardware after such a merger. As I currently use a Sprint HTC U11, I think I'll be fine, but will need to look up what bands it can handle, and whether any of those will be pertinent.  Will VoLTE happen sooner, or later? How will the netowrk handle switching us from band to band, if it's across networks?

You would be roaming on the other if your phone supports it. It will just be unlimited roaming. VOLTE will happen sooner rather than later but WCDMA might be used as a bridge.

[rkitt]

Remember sprint/softbank created a separate spectrum holding company last year and moved some of its spectrum to it which it then leased back from said company.

 

[bigsnake49]

2 hours ago, jefbal99 said:

My biggest question is which of these two will happen to get regulator approval

1. How much spectrum will new T-Mobint have to divest and who will it go to?

or

2. What terrible concessions will Big Red and the DeathStar get to keep them happy and further screw the industry?

I don't think that any spectrum needs to be divested. However in order to make the merger palatable to regulators Sprint/T-mobile will need to promise to match/exceed coverage of Verizon. They also might preemptively agree to host Dish's network on commercially reasonable terms and might even divest part of the network to them. There will no longer be a need for two EPCs duplicate enodeB can be eliminated, duplicate PCS antennas might not be needed (although I don't think that holds true with multi element, multi-frequency panels). Of course duplicate sites will be eliminated.

[dro1984]

 

Looks like Sprint and T-Mobile  have been working hard behind the scenes....   

Sprint hired Trump connected lobbyist!

[S4GRU]

I don't like T-Mobint.  How about T-Sproble?  

[twospirits]

Std-Mobile 

Which has double meaning. Sprint T-Mobile and Dish Mobile and STD, since having the other two will be like having a STD. 

[WiWavelength]

How about Expletive Skinny Jeans Dancing Millennial Effeminate Color Mobile?

Oh, wait, T-Mobile by itself already has all that covered.

AJ

[JossMan]

14 hours ago, WiWavelength said:

How about Expletive Skinny Jeans Dancing Millennial Effeminate Color Mobile?

Oh, wait, T-Mobile by itself already has all that covered.

AJ

One of the many reasons why I can't stand T-Mobile...

[RedSpark]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-23/softbank-is-said-to-be-willing-to-take-market-price-for-sprint

Oh no... Seriously?

[utiz4321]

3 hours ago, RedSpark said:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-23/softbank-is-said-to-be-willing-to-take-market-price-for-sprint

Oh no... Seriously?

If t mobile won't go for sprint at market value than t mobile doesn't think sprint can make it as an independent company and believes the value of sprint will fall in the near future.  

[mnjeepmale]

Investors must have seen that article. Now stock is down almost 8%

[dro1984]

Yeah... huge "pin" in the ballon for stock holders... "at or below market value"...   ie: Buy one, get 2 free!    Nice!   Thats what happens when you have a dept load the size of Sprint's!   Maybe Masayoshi Son should just say his true feelings:  "No reasonable offer refused"...

 

 

Edited September 25, 2017 by dro1984

[Swordfish]

Depends on who you ask. I personally like Sprint separated from T-Mobile. I've read the rumors and I am inclined to believe they are true that if Sprint buys T-Mobile, it will be T-Mobile's CEO really calling the shots. Softbank's investment was purely a financial one. I'm not going to get into it but in Japan, the country has low rates and they have been in a recession since the late 80s so this was an investment they saw worthwhile, not b/c the country cares about US customers....unfortunately. So they are looking to flip and make money, that's how private equity works/investors......remember that GOP Presidential candidate in 2012 named Mitt Romney ? The firm he was a part of Bain Capital did this.

 

 

I think if it does go through (and US regulators approve which remains to be seen), Sprint will be absorbed into T-Mobile's culture, not the other way around. I don't believe Softbank cares beyond making a profit....I also expect as everyone has mentioned the pricing structure to change. That's been Sprint's main appealing point is a low price and unlimited data, which now carriers are also doing, so it's just price.

 

Since there has been talk, right now I'll hang tight with Sprint. I want to play with a One Plus so I may just get a SIM card for that. I'll fully concede Sprint wins on price. I get a Government discount which may not be available anymore (not sure), but T-Mobile has done away with it.

 

I'm also curious to see what T-Mobile would do with Sprint's grandfathered customers, I think it is safe to assume prices will go up with Sprint if they are bought.

Edited September 25, 2017 by Swordfish

[Swordfish]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-sprint-t-mobile-merger-deal-20170925-story.html

https://www.cnbc.com/video/2017/09/25/t-mobile-sprint-begin-due-diligence-sources.html

 

Rumor by 3rd week of October details. Hopefully Sprint employees fare decent with this deal. I've never had any rude or unhelpful service the times I've called, and if the deal goes through there will almost certainly be some trimming of headcount going into the holiday season to make it even worse. I hope for things to be the best for both Sprint employees and customers. That's really my only issue with being against the merger is that Sprint customers and employees get the shaft one way or another which I can completely see happening.

[dro1984]

Folks... get a grip!   Even if the merger is announced in a couple of weeks, why would you immediately think staff will start getting trimmed?   It's an "announcement" not a completion.   We are at least until September 2018 before it's finalized IF it announced in a few weeks.  The companies remain separate entities until then.    

[RedSpark]

39 minutes ago, dro1984 said:

Folks... get a grip!   Even if the merger is announced in a couple of weeks, why would you immediately think staff will start getting trimmed?   It's an "announcement" not a completion.   We are at least until September 2018 before it's finalized IF it announced in a few weeks.  The companies remain separate entities until then.    

If a merger is announced, I'm concerned about what that means for Sprint's network investment, service quality and customer service until that merger is completed.

[Swordfish]

Staff won't get trimmed immediately, but they will eventually. In business merger acquisitions almost always reduce headcount. Also what about the customers in particular Sprint ? Sprint is a low cost provider, once T-Mobile takes majority stake which reports appear they will there is no longer the need to compete. The more I think about this, the party worse off is Sprint customers. T-Mobile is already charging higher for their plans. I know people will say it will benefit everyone to have a greater network access, but ultimately you will be paying for it in higher costs esp as a Sprint customer.....if you wanted greater network access why not switch to Verizon ? Sprint provides a medium between low cost and (average/at time below average) service. That's ok b/c the cost is cheaper and some ppl are ok with the trade off to save some $. Now there is no longer going to be a cheaper option if this moves forward.

[twospirits]

There are two things about this that bothers me and its 1-Everyone and their mother doesn't value the spectrum that Sprint has at the correct level it should be. Getting Sprint at this market value is a great for T-Mobile but not for Sprint. and 2- Not to get political, but this merger will in due time affect the workers and result in job losses. Whatever happened to that promise that Son did to Trump about bringing 50,000 jobs into the economy..

I smell a a foul order and the fish is not even in the pan yet.

TS out

 

[utiz4321]

22 minutes ago, RedSpark said:

If a merger is announced, I'm concerned about what that means for Sprint's network investment, service quality and customer service until that merger is completed.

Yup, this is my biggest concern.  1 yr for the merger to get approved and 1 yr to integrate the two companies before they start building the network out would be annoying. 

[MrZorbatron]

On 9/21/2017 at 4:58 PM, red_dog007 said:

Nothing to do anything about number of customers...

How are they not on par with the big two?  TMobile is crushing it for data in all the major markets.  If TMobile can execute their 2017 coverage map goal, they will be on par with AT&T, which is considered to be in the same coverage league as VZW.  So yes, TMobile will be in this club come 2018.

https://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/lte-comparison-map

They are on par only in their own eyes.  AT&T is not nearly on par with Verizon coverage wise, especially geographically, and even further behind in consistency of coverage (swiss cheese).  T-Mobile won't be on par with either one in the near future.  They both have more than enough money to get ahead without breaking a sweat if T-Mobile starts to get anywhere close.

[bigsnake49]

50 minutes ago, utiz4321 said:

Yup, this is my biggest concern.  1 yr for the merger to get approved and 1 yr to integrate the two companies before they start building the network out would be annoying. 

As a Sprint customer you will see immediate benefits since you will be able to freely roam on T-Mobile's  data network. Voice integration will take a bit more.

[bigsnake49]

7 minutes ago, MrZorbatron said:

They are on par only in their own eyes.  AT&T is not nearly on par with Verizon coverage wise, especially geographically, and even further behind in consistency of coverage (swiss cheese).  T-Mobile won't be on par with either one in the near future.  They both have more than enough money to get ahead without breaking a sweat if T-Mobile starts to get anywhere close.

From my own observations, for data, it is Verizon first for coverage and consistency, then AT&T then T-Mobile. Voice wise it is Sprint in third place instead of T-Mobile.