RedSpark

Everything we liked about Sprint is now becoming something we hate about T-Mobile.

I noticed that I had to reset my Visual Voicemail PIN on my iPhone for some reason. Seems like this explains it.

https://www.androidauthority.com/t-mobile-sales-tactics-employee-interview-3460125/ From the "Uncarrier" to Carrier....

Yup. Very true. We were originally on an Everything Data 1500 Plan, which got Unlimited Minutes thanks to Marcelo's "Loyalty Benefits" offer. We then switched to Unlimited Freedom (with the Free HD add-on that Sprint originally wanted $20/month per line for.... remember that?) because the pricing was better with "iPhone for Life", vs. the "Loyalty Credit" for staying on a Legacy Plan. After that, I ran the numbers and switched us over to Sprint MAX, especially for the international travel benefits. There's absolutely no reason for us to switch to Go5G Plus or Go5G Next if we're going to do BYOD by purchasing from Apple/Samsung/Google directly as we've been doing. These new plans aren't priced for current customers to switch to. They're priced for new customers, where they throw in a free line, etc. It's gone from "Uncarrier" to "Carrier". What a shame.

Everything "Uncarrier" is becoming "Carrier" again. Because of the Credit Limit that T-Mobile put on our account for no reason at all (and wouldn't change/update the last time I checked all the way up to the CEO), I don't plan on buying/upgrading our iPhones through T-Mobile. I'm going through Apple directly. Looks like I'll be going through Google and Samsung directly for our other lines for upgrades. Also, we're staying on Sprint Max given the ridiculous pricing for Go5G Plus. On Sprint Max, we currently pay for our Plan: $260 for 7 Voice Lines $25 for two Wearable Lines. (One is $10/Month. The other is $15/Month because the AutoPay discount only applies up to 8 lines.) Total: $285/Month vs. Go5G Plus (Per the Broadband Facts "nutrition label" on the T-Mobile Website): https://www.t-mobile.com/commerce/cell-phone-plans $360 - ($5 AutoPay Discount x 7 Voice Lines) = $325 The Watch Plans show as either $12/Month or $15/Month: https://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/affordable-data-plans/smartwatches So this is about the same for the wearables as what we're paying now. Overall, it's quite more than we're paying now to switch plans. Ridiculous....

Big news.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/06/t-mobile-users-thought-they-had-a-lifetime-price-lock-guess-what-happened-next/ https://www.phonearena.com/news/t-mobile-customer-price-hike-fcc-complaint-spectacular-fail_id159270

Transaction Details and Financial Profile T-Mobile will pay approximately $4.4 billion for the assets being acquired from UScellular in the transaction in a combination of cash and up to $2.0 billion of debt to be assumed by T-Mobile through an exchange offer to be made to certain UScellular debtholders prior to closing. To the extent any debtholders do not participate in the exchange, their bonds will continue as obligations of UScellular and the cash portion of the purchase price will be correspondingly increased. Following the closing of the transaction, UScellular will retain ownership of its other spectrum as well as its towers, with T-Mobile entering into a long-term arrangement to lease space on at least 2,100 additional towers being retained. T-Mobile does not expect the transaction to impact the company’s 2024 guidance or 2024 authorized shareholder return program. T-Mobile expects this transaction will yield approximately $1.0 billion in effective total opex and capex annual run rate cost synergies upon integration, with total cost to achieve the integration currently estimated at between $2.2 billion to $2.6 billion. The company plans to reinvest a portion of synergies toward enhancing consumer choice, quality and competition in the wireless industry. The transaction, which is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions and receipt of certain regulatory approvals, is expected to close in mid-2025.

https://www.fierce-network.com/wireless/t-mobiles-rate-hike-raises-ire-over-price-lock-guarantees It’s not going over well.

https://tmo.report/2024/05/confirmed-t-mobile-is-raising-prices-on-some-legacy-plans/ Post-Merger T-Mobile, Folks. EDIT: Just got the text. Our connected devices will increase by $2 per line per month. We're on Sprint Max.

https://www.fierce-network.com/wireless/t-mobile-loses-bid-class-action-suit-over-sprint-merger Consumers who are fed up with higher wireless prices won a victory last week when the 7th Circuit rejected T-Mobile’s appeal to dismiss a class action suit related to its merger with Sprint.

I completely agree.

This has all been such a farce. Just waiting for the music to stop.

I'm surprised US Cellular held on for as long as it did....

Asked directly by one about the company’s strategy if it “doesn’t or shouldn’t file for bankruptcy,” Akhavan said, “Our recipe is very simple, candidly. Can we push the maturities out … so that we have enough cash to operate the business? We’re very bullish about our prospects for operating the business if we have the capital to execute that. While we’re working on that financing, we aren’t sitting on our hands.” ------- Run away from this dumpster fire.