
T-Mobile-Sprint Deal Runs into Resistance from DOJ Antitrust Staff - tareqak
https://www.wsj.com/articles/t-mobile-sprint-deal-runs-into-resistance-from-doj-antitrust-staff-11555446461
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stock_toaster
That's unexpected. Given all the mergers that seemed clearly bad for consumers
lately, I figured the current administration was basically "rubber stamping"
everything.

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RcouF1uZ4gsC
The DOJ blocked the T-Mobile-ATT merger a few years back. That turned out to
be really good for consumers as T-Mobile afterward introduced a lot of really
nice initiatives.

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runevault
Yes but T-Mobile ATT is not the same as T-Mobile Sprint. letting number 3 and
4 merge is not the same as letting a top 2 eat a smaller competitor. Compared
to, say, Disney-Fox this is not so dangerous for consumers most likely.

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joshcain
Right, and the best argument I've heard for letting T-Mobile and Sprint merge
is that there's a real question of whether Sprint continues to exist absent a
merger. Could be better to have 3 strong carriers competing than 2 strong
ones, one weaker one, and one on the brink.

Granted, this is part of how TM/Sprint are trying to sell this to the DOJ, so
worth taking it with a grain of salt.

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basetop
But the Disney and Fox merger got the green light? Seem like we are in a
neverending era of mergers and consolidation. The big players get bigger and
the number of competitors and options for customers decline.

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gotenyama
I guess staying at the trump hotel didn't help them much.

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techntoke
I've stayed away from them after that and a terrible experience dealing with
their customer support in regards to a warranty for a phone that stopped
charging where they tried billing me for the phone and wouldn't return the old
one.

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dehrmann
On one hand, I wish we had more competition, but Sprint isn't viable long-
term, and T-Mobile and Sprint combined still have fewer subscribers than both
AT&T and Verizon, so in the interest of avoiding a duopoly, the merger is the
best option.

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ulfw
I bet T-Mobile regrets having ever entered the US market. They tried to sell
to at&t (denied), tried to sell to Softbank/Sprint, tried to merge with
Sprint. I guess they might be doomed to be where they are forever. At least
the brand and network have gotten a lot better over the years.

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notfromhere
Trying to acquire Sprint basically means they can't back out, because they'll
never approve a merger when the industry will have two competitors

