Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Report: Judge to rule in favor of Sprint/T-Mobile merger

Christian de Looper
By

It looks like the Sprint-T-Mobile merger is about to clear the last of any potential legal hurdles. According to a new report from the New York Times, the judge presiding over the case between the two companies and a coalition of state’s attorneys is expected to rule in favor of Sprint and T-Mobile.

The suit was first filed in June by a group of attorney generals from 13 states and the District of Columbia. It first arose after federal regulators, including the Department of Justice, gave the deal the go-ahead. Once the deal goes through, the third and fourth-largest carriers will combine to form the “New T-Mobile.” The new company will reportedly have more than 100 million customers.

Recommended Videos

State’s attorneys argued that the combination of the two companies would reduce competition in the telecommunications industry — an industry that’s already relatively low on competition. Even less competition could result in higher phone bills, they argued.

Related

Sprint and T-Mobile, on the other hand, claimed that the combination of the two will allow them to better take on the likes of Verizon and AT&T, which are the largest and second-largest carriers in the U.S., respectively. Not only that, but the companies maintain that they’ll be better positioned to roll out next-generation 5G networks as a combined entity.

Final arguments for the lawsuit took place in January, and the decision is expected to be announced on Tuesday, according to the New York Times’ sources. None of the parties have reportedly read the ruling — leaving the door open for possible conditions or restrictions to be added.

It has been a long road to the merger for the two companies. The merger was first announced in June 2018. At the time, T-Mobile CEO John Legere tweeted a graphic detailing the ownership of the new company — with Deutche Telekom set to own 41.7 percent of the new T-Mobile and Softbank to own 27.4 percent. The remaining 31 percent will be publicly owned. At the time, it was said that Legere would serve as the new company’s CEO — however Legere has since announced that he’ll be stepping down as T-Mobile CEO in April when his current contract expires.

We’ve reached out to T-Mobile and Sprint for comment, and will update this article when we hear back.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Christian de Looper
Christian de Looper
Contributor
Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…
T-Mobile made a $325 suitcase that you may actually want to buy
A woman standing at the edge of a dock with the bright pink T-Mobile Un-carrier On suitcase.

T-Mobile has been pushing its customers to travel more with its Coverage Beyond initiative, and now the company is offering something completely new for travelers: the Un-carrier On smart suitcase. Smart suitcases have been around for a while, giving owners access to things like USB charging ports while on the go. However, T-Mobile's limited-edition carry-on might just be one of the best ever made.

The Un-carrier On offers a plethora of features perfect for frequent fliers, such as wireless smartphone charging, USB-C charging ports for phones and more, a removable rechargeable 10,000mAh power bank, and a flat top that serves as a portable workstation for laptops. The Un-carrier On also is a pretty solid suitcase — sporting Transportation Security Administration-approved combination locks, smart tags for easy luggage tracking, and 360-degree spinning wheels.

Read more
It’s late 2022, and Verizon and AT&T still can’t beat T-Mobile’s 5G network
The T-Mobile logo on a smartphone.

It’s been 10 months since Verizon and AT&T flipped the switch on their new C-band 5G spectrum, but it appears both carriers still have their work cut out for them if they want to catch up to T-Mobile.

Market analyses and independent tests have agreed for years that T-Mobile is the fastest and most reliable 5G carrier in the U.S. That’s not surprising as it had a massive advantage by holding licenses for the crucial midrange spectrum that provides the best balance between range and speed. While Verizon’s early high-frequency mmWave rollouts allowed it to boast raw speeds that were significantly faster, those were confined to about 1% of its subscriber base.

Read more
How to pre-order the OnePlus 10T
Holding the OnePlus 10T in front of a green plant.

The OnePlus 10T, OnePlus' performance flagship for 2022, is here. Following weeks of endless leaks and rumors, OnePlus formally announced the phone on August 3. It did so in big fashion, hosting an extravagant launch event in New York City -- OnePlus's first in-person gathering in over two years. The big change this year, of course, is support for AT&T's 5G networks, which has now been turned on. You can't buy your OnePlus 10T directly from AT&T, but if you're looking to put your existing SIM in your new phone, rest assured that it'll work.

But while the OnePlus 10T was unveiled at the start of August, pre-orders didn't open until September 1. So that meant you had to wait. Thankfully, that waiting period is now over. Unfortunately, it does mean the start of a whole new waiting period since the phone won't be finally available until September 29. OnePlus is really making us wait for this phone, so just try not to get impatient.

Read more