Official Tmobile-Sprint merger discussion thread

[Brad The Beast]

22 minutes ago, BlueAngel said:

If it is true I hope the allow us to connect to TMobile like today lol.

I don't. T-Mobile is hot garbage here. Want to make calls or use data? No you don't!

[BlueAngel]

11 minutes ago, Brad The Beast said:

I don't. T-Mobile is hot garbage here. Want to make calls or use data? No you don't!

Never had TMobile but I image it's fine here as a lot of people I know have it.

[Brad The Beast]

8 minutes ago, BlueAngel said:

Never had TMobile but I image it's fine here as a lot of people I know have it.

It ain’t fine for data according to Q4 2019 Ookla speed test data. Not great for calls either according to RootMetrics.

[greenbastard]

5 hours ago, Brad The Beast said:

It ain’t fine for data according to Q4 2019 Ookla speed test data. Not great for calls either according to RootMetrics.

T-Mobile knocks Sprint out when it comes to data in Houston. I was rarely ever on Band 41 and was stuck using one of the two 5 Mhz B25 carriers (No B25 carrier aggregation when I left). Compare that to T-Mobile's 10x10 B2 and 20x20 B4. Day and night difference

As far as voice, I'm not sure VoLTE will ever be as reliable as 1xRTT. I've used Verizon and T-Mobile and I've had more issues with calls on both carriers than I ever had with post-NV Sprint. Having said that, VoLTE is the way of the future. While it has it's issues, you really can't beat the voice quality. It's way better than Sprint's version of "HD Voice" and simultaneous Voice + Data is very convenient.

 

[mrjeff]

10 minutes ago, greenbastard said:

T-Mobile knocks Sprint out when it comes to data in Houston. I was rarely ever on Band 41 and was stuck using one of the two 5 Mhz B25 carriers (No B25 carrier aggregation when I left). Compare that to T-Mobile's 10x10 B2 and 20x20 B4. Day and night difference

As far as voice, I'm not sure VoLTE will ever be as reliable as 1xRTT. I've used Verizon and T-Mobile and I've had more issues with calls on both carriers than I ever had with post-NV Sprint. Having said that, VoLTE is the way of the future. While it has it's issues, you really can't beat the voice quality. It's way better than Sprint's version of "HD Voice" and simultaneous Voice + Data is very convenient.

 

 

VoLTE isn't live in Houston yet on Sprint? 

 

[bigsnake49]

Without an MB I don't have any data past the front door of my condo on Sprint. On the other hand great 1x voice everywhere. Part of the reason Sprint needs this merger is that they need about 20,000 more sites for reliable VoLTE. 

[marioc21]

Looks like the official ruling is out.  It's now officially, official.  

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/11/sprint-soars-after-judge-approves-its-merger-with-t-mobile.html

I'm sure California and NY are working on their appeals as we speak.  But I imagine that has an even slimmer chance of success than the original lawsuit.  

I would imagine Tmo and Sprint will move very quickly to close out the deal at this point.  

[bigsnake49]

27 minutes ago, marioc21 said:

Looks like the official ruling is out.  It's now officially, official.  

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/11/sprint-soars-after-judge-approves-its-merger-with-t-mobile.html

I'm sure California and NY are working on their appeals as we speak.  But I imagine that has an even slimmer chance of success than the original lawsuit.  

I would imagine Tmo and Sprint will move very quickly to close out the deal at this point.  

Yeah they better close this merger today. I thought they should have closed it right after the feds approved it. I think they could have actually integrated their networks without any problems. They also could have integrated business wise in those states that were not part of the suit. No matter I hope they hit the ground running.

California and NewYork will probably end holding the bag. They could have extracted concessions beyond the Fed extracted ones. 

I wonder how fast they will open both networks for free and open roaming.

Edited February 11, 2020 by bigsnake49

[Trip]

Okay, now I can go back to worrying about what will happen to Shentel.

- Trip

[bigsnake49]

1 minute ago, Trip said:

Okay, now I can go back to worrying about what will happen to Shentel.

- Trip

Good ole Trip! From what I understand T-Mobile is not great in the Shentel area. This too will be resolved. They would be stupid to abrogate the agreement. They will look at each of these agreements as to what is best for the overall company. 

[dro1984]

I'm hoping the states do not appeal.   Enough wasted tax money!   

[bigsnake49]

Just now, dro1984 said:

I'm hoping the states do not appeal.   Enough wasted tax money!   

Even if they do, T-Mobile will play hardball this time and move quickly. They deferred the first time. They will not this time.

[dro1984]

2 minutes ago, bigsnake49 said:

Even if they do, T-Mobile will play hardball this time and move quickly. They deferred the first time. They will not this time.

You called it right from the beginning!    The states case rested on pure speculation and no actual proof.   Done. 

[RedSpark]

 

[grapkoski]

Just a reminder, the merger hasn't closed - there may be some financial renegotation, but I am sure they are working through the night on that.

[bigsnake49]

3 minutes ago, dro1984 said:

You called it right from the beginning!    The states case rested on pure speculation and no actual proof.   Done. 

I thought that the feds went way way beyond with the structural remedies they imposed. The merger was clearly not anti-competitive. Even the combined company will be at a severe disadvantage vis a vis their competitors when it comes to revenue, number of postpaid subs, EBIDTA, etc.

I am very happy that Dish's spectrum will finally get deployed. I am really interested in what Comcast is going to do with their 600MHz spectrum.

[bigsnake49]

6 minutes ago, grapkoski said:

Just a reminder, the merger hasn't closed - there may be some financial renegotation, but I am sure they are working through the night on that.

Yeah, it has not and they will be burning the midnight oil. They probably have been working on that behind the scenes. Both companies have charged in the neighborhood of $150M-200M in merger related expenses the last quarter of 2019.

Edited February 11, 2020 by bigsnake49

[dro1984]

Comcast is an entity all to itself.   It is a horrible company that does not even want to treat customers fairly or friendly.    Combined with Verizon, who I like more... the 2 of them tied up in wireless is a bad thing.    (IMO)     Do you feel they will allow Verizon to use their spectrum?   That might help get Verizon out of their limited spectrum issues for the time being?       

I'm really waiting on T-Mo's home wireless broadband.   I want!     Tired of giving Big Cable too much for too little.  

[grapkoski]

7 minutes ago, bigsnake49 said:

I am very happy that Dish's spectrum will finally get deployed. I am really interested in what Comcast is going to do with their 600MHz spectrum.

Dish won't deploy that spectrum any further than Clearwire deployed Wimax. I expect a cable co will swoop in and buy their assets. As of today, the company just doesn't have the capability to raise enough financing to build a true network.

[Trip]

29 minutes ago, bigsnake49 said:

Good ole Trip! From what I understand T-Mobile is not great in the Shentel area. This too will be resolved. They would be stupid to abrogate the agreement. They will look at each of these agreements as to what is best for the overall company. 

All I will say is what I've said all along--that I want Shentel to stay in charge in the region.  Otherwise, I don't care either way about the merger.  I know (but can't say) why T-Mobile's West Virginia and western Virginia coverage is so bad, and worry that would continue if Shentel is not left in charge.  They would take over the existing Shentel network, I have no doubt, but would they continue to upgrade things and expand at the pace Shentel does?  Based on past history, I can't say I'm confident.

Given that Shentel recently resumed expansion in the area they bought from Sprint in 2018, I'm assuming some agreement was reached, whatever that agreement is.  The question is what that agreement is.

- Trip

[bigsnake49]

9 minutes ago, grapkoski said:

Dish won't deploy that spectrum any further than Clearwire deployed Wimax. I expect a cable co will swoop in and buy their assets. As of today, the company just doesn't have the capability to raise enough financing to build a true network.

They will lease the AWS-3, 800 MHz and 600MHz spectrum to T-mobile in return for reduced MVNO fees. It's AWS-4 that will cost them money to deploy. 

Edited February 11, 2020 by bigsnake49

[chamb]

1 hour ago, bigsnake49 said:

Good ole Trip! From what I understand T-Mobile is not great in the Shentel area. This too will be resolved. They would be stupid to abrogate the agreement. They will look at each of these agreements as to what is best for the overall company. 

If they are smart, they will snuggle up to Shentel and have them combine the two networks.  Then have an agreement for Shentel to manage and operate the new network.  Shentel sure gets things done and it gets done right.

[bigsnake49]

As the merger closes here as some of the questions I have:

1. More details on the technical parts of network integrations

2. Will the combined company buy/lease more 2.5GHz in areas they do not have own/lease

3. Will T-Mobile offer fixed wireless on 2.5GHz or mmwave?

4. What will happen to Sprint's worldwide wireline network

5. What will happen to Spint's corporate connectivity solutions

6. What will happen to Sprint's push to talk services

7. What will happen to Sprint's iOT services

8. New plans/incentives 

 

Edited February 11, 2020 by bigsnake49

[bigsnake49]

44 minutes ago, dro1984 said:

Comcast is an entity all to itself.   It is a horrible company that does not even want to treat customers fairly or friendly.    Combined with Verizon, who I like more... the 2 of them tied up in wireless is a bad thing.    (IMO)     Do you feel they will allow Verizon to use their spectrum?   That might help get Verizon out of their limited spectrum issues for the time being?       

I'm really waiting on T-Mo's home wireless broadband.   I want!     Tired of giving Big Cable too much for too little.  

Comcast does not have nationwide spectrum, only in places they offer service. 

As you can see from the map they only own a 5x5 slice everywhere except one market. Not exactly worth deploying it. They can sell/lease to T-Mobile or Dish or to speculators. No Comcast selling it to Verizon will not ease Verizon's spectrum crunch. Verizon will vigorously participate in the CBRS and C-band auctions. That will ease the crunch. I do not anticipate T-mobile participating in those two auctions but I anticipate AT&T, Verizon and the cable cos participating.

[S4GRU]

And what will this all mean for S4GRU?  We are in a wait and see mode before we decide how to adapt.  Until then, we will be here every day with you all, plotting our wireless destiny.

Robert