Where I Stand on the Proposed Merger of T-Mobile and Sprint

https://lauren.vortex.com/2018/04/29/where-i-stand-on-the-proposed-merger-of-t-mobile-and-sprint


Some proposed mergers are a disaster for consumers. Back in 2011, AT&T
tried to merge with T-Mobile, sending a chill down the spine of
longtime T-Mobile subscribers like me (I've been with T-Mobile since
the first day of Google Android availability with the original "G1"
phone -- now nearly 10 years ago). Twice before, I'd switched away
from AT&T mobile service, only to be pulled back into their sphere of
control by mergers.

The proposed merger of AT&T and T-Mobile was abandoned when the Obama
Justice Department wisely filed to block it.

In the years since, T-Mobile and Sprint have had an on-again,
off-again courtship regarding a potential merger. Today they announced
a definitive agreement to actually merge. Even under Trump, regulatory
approval of the merger (which could take at least a year) is by no
means guaranteed, since it would reduce the number of major mobile
carriers in the USA from four to three.

I am, however, fairly sanguine about this merger proposal based on the
descriptions I've seen this morning. The combined company will be
firmly under T-Mobile's control, with T-Mobile's current CEO and COO
retaining their positions, and the combined entity reportedly named --
you guessed it -- T-Mobile. Magenta for the win!

And frankly, at this stage of the game, I see this combined firm as
being the most effective practical competition against the serious
telecom bullies like AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, and Charter.

The devil is always in the details, but at least the potential for
this merger ultimately being significantly consumer-positive seems to
be in the cards.

We shall see.

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein ([email protected]): https://www.vortex.com/lauren 
Lauren's Blog: https://lauren.vortex.com
Google Issues Mailing List: https://vortex.com/google-issues
Founder: Network Neutrality Squad: https://www.nnsquad.org 
         PRIVACY Forum: https://www.vortex.com/privacy-info
Co-Founder: People For Internet Responsibility: https://www.pfir.org/pfir-info
Member: ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Google+: https://google.com/+LaurenWeinstein
Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurenweinstein
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
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