DOJ To Approve T-Mobile/Sprint Merger Despite 13 States Trying To Block It (arstechnica.com) 53
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: The Justice Department plans to approve the T-Mobile/Sprint merger as part of a settlement involving the sale of spectrum licenses, wholesale access, and a prepaid wireless business to Dish Network, The Wall Street Journal reported today. "The companies have spent weeks negotiating with antitrust enforcers and each other over the sale of assets to Dish to satisfy concerns that the more than $26 billion merger of the No. 3 and No. 4 wireless carriers by subscribers would hurt competition," the Journal wrote, citing people familiar with the matter. As a result of those negotiations, the DOJ is "poised to approve" the merger and could announce a settlement with T-Mobile and Sprint "as soon as this week, but the timing remains uncertain," the Journal wrote. Even if the DOJ approves the merger, T-Mobile and Sprint will still have to defend it in court because of a lawsuit filed against them by 13 states and the District of Columbia. The Wall Street Journal report said the pending settlement "provides for Dish to acquire prepaid subscribers" but didn't say whether those will come from Boost. "Boost's involvement seems likely, given that FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's approval of the T-Mobile/Sprint merger is contingent on the divestiture of Boost Mobile and a guarantee that Boost will have access to the T-Mobile/Sprint network," reports Ars Technica.
"Dish would also get a multiyear agreement to use the wireless companies' network while it builds dedicated infrastructure," the Journal wrote. The report didn't say how much spectrum Dish will get.
"Dish would also get a multiyear agreement to use the wireless companies' network while it builds dedicated infrastructure," the Journal wrote. The report didn't say how much spectrum Dish will get.
And (Score:2, Interesting)
37 states not trying to block it?
Re: (Score:1)
The outrage is that we already have insufficient competition to provide decent pricing and service. If the current situation is unstable, the answer is to break up AT&T and Verizon rather than to take away one of the other choices.
This whole merger madness has been going on for decades now and it's pretty clear that these deals are never good for customers or the public at large.
Re:And (Score:4, Insightful)
The other 37 states have more sense.
If the merger doesn't happen, the most likely outcome is that Sprint will fold, and we will be left with two big incumbents (Verizon and AT&T) and one weakling (T-Mobile).
If Sprint merges with T-Mobile, that will be a stronger competitor, and it will be closer to a triopoly rather than a duopoly. More 'opolies is better.
I'm thinking of switching (Score:2)
Consumer cellular offers an unlimited everything plan for $45/month. I've been with TMUS for 10 years now and my plan with them is twice that. Plus they have no AARP discount.
Re: (Score:2)
Have you tried calling T-Mobile? (Score:2)
I've been a customer forever (since Powertel)... my current plan is $45/month before taxes/fees/etc. and is unlimited (except mobile tethering at full speed is limited to 14GB/month).
But hey (Score:1)
Regulatory Capture (Score:2)
I keep telling folks this is always the end result. But they just keep trying to...
"Regulate Harder"
That boot is never coming off the backs of your necks.
Surrender is not the answer (Score:2)
Instead, refuse to vote for any politician that accepts corporate PAC money. That means, to the best of my knowledge, no Republicans and damn few Democrats. Basically Bernie Sanders and the Justice Democrats. Use opensecrets.org to check and keep them honest. If you want to stop corruption it starts with voting, vo
Re: (Score:2)
"You're suggesting that to combat corrupt regulators we stop regulating?"
Depends on what you mean by stop regulating. See how stupid that line of questioning is? Of course there will be some deregulation, but that is no the same as no regulation. We have been regulating the Telco's for about a Century now, it has been a failure the entire damn time. Let's do something different now, but this is not something you seem willing to do. All you want to do is keep doing the same thing but expecting different
Re: (Score:2)
"Instead of allowing mergers, we should be forcibly breaking up Verizon and AT&T."
Yep, I am a big fan of breaking up monopolies. This is the best way forward.
"When individual corporations get that big, the consumer is harmed, and that's a fact."
Yep, and regulation has helped them to grow and facilitate their carving up of little monopoly fiefdoms all over the place.
" In order for capitalism to function properly, the market must have many competing players."
Number of competing players has nothing to do
Re: (Score:3)
Softbank a conglomerate, owns them now.
They will be able to make money on Sprint Failing if they cannot secure a merger. They just make less money when it fails, but it is not a secret that loading a subsidiary with debt to free up another one is just good business practice, well because of how the regulations work.
I could spend all day telling folks how the regulations they think are protecting them are screwing them up one side and down the other while the rich people are laughing all the way to the bank
T Mobile in Bowling Green, Ohio (Score:1)
There is no T-Mobile store in Bowling Green.
There also is no T-mobile signals in Bowling Green.
just leaving that here..