

Sprint Preparing a Bid for T-Mobile US - aclimatt
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303293604579256561000513396

======
tehwebguy
Hopefully it fails like the AT&T + T-Mobile acquisition!

Having 3 major carriers in the US instead of 4 is bad for rates. T-Mobile has
been the first to introduce a few awesome service products (free int'l roaming
data, unlimited data @ LTE speed, free data service for tablets).

When the last sale failed T-Mobile got a $3b breakup fee, maybe think they can
do it again!

~~~
bluedino
I don't even consider Sprint to be in the same league as AT&T and Verizon.
They're basically a budget provider with bad coverage (but not nearly as bad
as T-Mobile) and slower speeds than ATT/VZW where they do have coverage.

Too bad there isn't anyone Sprint could buy that would actually enhance their
coverage. Outside of major metro areas it's pretty bad.

~~~
dchuk
Sprint's been rolling out LTE pretty comprehensively in the last few months. I
upgraded my phone this week and was going to switch from them but discovered
that my neighborhood in San Diego now has LTE even though it's not technically
"launched" yet.

So far I'm happy with my choice, and with unlimited data on my phone it's a
pretty great setup. No more having to download my spotify playlists to play
offline anymore, can just stream as much as I want.

~~~
justin66
> Sprint's been rolling out LTE pretty comprehensively in the last few months.

It's been interesting reading statements like this over the past year. Sprint
keeps announcing network expansions in small towns in flyover states but
they're alienating the heck out of power users who live in actual cities in
the midwest. Everyone I know in Ohio is in the process of switching away from
them or is avoiding them like the plague. (I wouldn't dream of going back to
them as a customer)

~~~
dchuk
Just to clarify, I live in the middle of San Diego.

------
geetee
Please no... I had Sprint for many years and it was the worst, but
inexpensive. I switched to T-Mobile a few months ago and love it.

------
rayiner
There's an interesting dynamic in the industry. Sprint is hemorrhaging money
and losing customers, ironically often to T-Mobile:
[http://newsroom.sprint.com/news-releases/sprint-nextel-
repor...](http://newsroom.sprint.com/news-releases/sprint-nextel-reports-
fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2012-results.htm),
[http://www.dailytech.com/TMobile+Announces+Impressive+Quarte...](http://www.dailytech.com/TMobile+Announces+Impressive+Quarter+Adds+685000+Contract+Customers/article33133.htm).

T-Mobile on the other hand seems to be on the upswing, but I'm not sure how
long it can really last. Their new $70 unlimited data plan sounds great, but I
can't figure out how they can possibly generate enough revenues to match
Verizon and AT&T's capital investments into their networks. T-Mobile seems to
be doing a decent job pulling together an LTE network, but it remains to be
seen whether it continues to be solid once it starts getting loaded up, and
whether they manage to keep pace as AT&T and Verizon invest in successive
generations of technology.

I'm not sure what the business case would be for a T-Mobile/Sprint
combination. I can see how it would be good for Sprint, but what does it buy
T-Mobile?

------
DaCapoo
Here's two links to the same story, as they cite the WSJ (and I can't get past
their paywall)

[http://www.theverge.com/2013/12/13/5208312/sprint-
reportedly...](http://www.theverge.com/2013/12/13/5208312/sprint-reportedly-
preparing-to-purchase-t-mobile-in-2014)

[http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/12/13/spri...](http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/12/13/sprint-
working-on-possible-bid-for-rival-t-mobile-us/4015567/)

------
trothoun
Hasn't it been something like a decade since Sprint was last profitable? How
do they have the money to do this?

