apple and google eyeing sprint for buyout

[danielholt]

http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/wireless/75074.html?&wlc=1337057356

[xenadu]

Only if they sense that carrier lockdowns and/or caps put bottlenecks on their future growth. Same reason Google is toying with fiber deployments... More to scare the carriers than anything.

[NiteSnow]

This article is poorly written. PRLs basically do what the author is describing as "Signal-sniffing".

[twospirits]

If the article was referring to T-MOBILE instead of Sprint, then yeah i can probably believe it. Since T mobile helped start Android get off its feet with Android devices and is more global. Sprint is still cdma and not really a global player per say. Although i would love it, Google will just do as they did with Motorola and say they won't give it any special treatment, which to me is a mistake.

 

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[NateC]

Your thread title is misleading. There is no evidence to indicate that Apple and Google are actively eyeing Sprint for a buyout. The article is mainly speculation on why the author believes it's possible/viable for Apple/Google to get into the industry with a Sprint buyout.

[danielholt]

Your thread title is misleading. There is no evidence to indicate that Apple and Google are actively eyeing Sprint for a buyout. The article is mainly speculation on why the author believes it's possible/viable for Apple/Google to get into the industry with a Sprint buyout.

 

bless your heart.

[centermedic]

I dont think either company wants to get their "hands dirty" running a wireless network. Buying a large stake in a company like Sprint is more likely especially for Google. I have to think that Sprints status as a tier one internet provider has to be attractive to Google.

[sprintfans]

I dont think either company wants to get their "hands dirty" running a wireless network. Buying a large stake in a company like Sprint is more likely especially for Google. I have to think that Sprints status as a tier one internet provider has to be attractive to Google.

 

Your first sentence contradicts second and third sentence.

[danielholt]

ive started a monster. disgrace upon me.

[4GHoward]

Do you think CenturyLink is still likely a potential buyer of Sprint?

 

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-16/sprint-s-most-likely-buyer-may-be-centurylink.html

[ChadBroChillz]

CenturyLink does make more sense than Apple and Google. They are the third largest telecommunications company, and currently do not have any wireless of their own.

[4GHoward]

CenturyLink does make more sense than Apple and Google. They are the third largest telecommunications company, and currently do not have any wireless of their own.

 

Sprint should have kept its Embarq Business.

[JeffDTD]

Remember: Dan & Co. aren't looking to "unload" Sprint..... they'd prefer partnerships and mergers. A complete buyout would only be accepted if they were offered a huge premium.. similar to the huge premium ATT was willing to give Tmobile.

 

I don't mind these kind of articles though.... even poorly vetted rumors have potential to drum up a buzz from other parties...

 

I don't see what motivation Century Link would have in paying a huge premium to inherit sprint's current hurdles.... Money , and only money, will ease their hurdles. There was lots of chatter about century link interest last year... a search would be informative...not sure we have any reason to think any diff since then.

[MacinJosh]

Wouldn't that just be wild. Sprint split it's landline division off. Embarq then merges with CenturyTel to form Century Link. Century Link then buys Qwest. And then Century Link has considered buying Sprint? If that happened, then Sprint was cursed to be stuck with that landline division after all, lol.

[4GHoward]

How about Windstream as a potential buyer?

[danielholt]

it wont be centurylink.... they are broke, and cannot afford to upgrade their next gen bonded internet service properly over the united states.

[centermedic]

Your first sentence contradicts second and third sentence.

Nope. Buying a large stake does not constitute running the company. That would be a majority stake.

[bigsnake49]

Sprint should have kept its Embarq Business.

 

Sprint should have never split with Embarq and should have merged with Alltel and TDS (parents of USCC). Not necessarily for their residential landlines, which are dying, but the business ones which are not. Not to mention the backhaul in a lot of places. But they thought that they could sidle up to the cable cos and sell them VOIP minutes, but looked what happened. They abandoned Sprint. I still think that Century link should merge with TDS and maybe Windstream and together should absorb Sprint. I also think that companies with residential landlines should offer them to utilities for their smart grid efforts (AMR, AMI).

[centermedic]

Sprint should have never split with Embarq and should have merged with Alltel and TDS (parents of USCC). Not necessarily for their residential landlines, which are dying, but the business ones which are not. Not to mention the backhaul in a lot of places. But they thought that they could sidle up to the cable cos and sell them VOIP minutes, but looked what happened. They abandoned Sprint. I still think that Century link should merge with TDS and maybe Windstream and together should absorb Sprint. I also think that companies with residential landlines should offer them to utilities for their smart grid efforts (AMR, AMI).

I thought spinning off embarq was a condition of the sprint nextel merger.

[bigsnake49]

I thought spinning off embarq was a condition of the sprint nextel merger.

 

No, I don't think so.

[MacinJosh]

I thought spinning off embarq was a condition of the sprint nextel merger.

 

No, it wasn't. It was a consolidation move to simplify the company by making it a wireless company. But even then, according to the annual reports, they still have a few business landlines running around.

[xenadu]

It was a move designed to pad executive pocketbooks by "doing something". There was no reason to sell off ILEC, backhaul, etc. Looks about as smart as the decision of TI to sell its defense department right before silicon crashed and almost bankrupted the company... Instead of letting defense keep them afloat through the dark times.

[danielholt]

A little more:

http://www.wirelessweek.com/News/2012/05/Sprint--Mergers-on-Back-Burner,-Not-Off-the-Table/?

[centermedic]

It was a move designed to pad executive pocketbooks by "doing something". There was no reason to sell off ILEC, backhaul, etc. Looks about as smart as the decision of TI to sell its defense department right before silicon crashed and almost bankrupted the company... Instead of letting defense keep them afloat through the dark times.

Learned something new!