This has been going on for some time but all we need is confirmation. It has happened already as the T-Mobile and Sprint merger is in its last stages. A federal judge recently ruled in favor of the partnership. It’s not finished yet because the California Public Utilities Commission needs to give its approval. Judge Victor Marrero gave the ruling after different states were challenging the merger because of the possibility that the merger would prevent competition among the carriers in the US.
T-Mobile and the other company getting together may increase the prices of products and services. Meanwhile, the merger is believed to put the two in good competition with AT&T and Verizon. Judge Marrero saw the efforts of the “Uncarrier” to improve its services. He wrote, “T-Mobile has redefined itself over the past decade as a maverick that has spurred the two largest players in its industry to make numerous pro-consumer changes. The proposed merger would allow the merged company to continue T-Mobile’s undeniably successful business strategy for the foreseeable future.”
Meanwhile, the other brand doesn’t have enough means to continue in competition with the other brands. Marrero said, “The Court is thus substantially persuaded that Sprint does not have a sustainable long-term competitive strategy and will in fact cease to be a truly national MNO.” There is no way it can compete with the other three so it may be best that it works with at least one.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, one of the lawyers who were questioning the merger, has said the merger would endanger the wireless customers because it would hit the wallets of the people. The merger may bring the prices up but that’s something we can’t really say at the moment.
The California Public Utilities Commission’s approval is all that the two companies need to go ahead with their business strategy. Of course, they still need to follow whatever the FCC and Department of Justice will impose on them like the requirement to work on 5G that should cover 97% of the population. It must be done in three.
Sprint is required to sell Virgin Mobile and Boost Mobile to Dish Network. The latter action is expected to help Dish make its own wireless network with the help of T-Mobile. It’s not clear if there will be a name change. One thing is certain, the merger may bring more benefits than disadvantages.
