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Comments on news posted 2008-03-07 09:44:46: The Kansas City Star, citing only theory from Merrill Lynch analysts, suggests that Sprint could be a tasty acquisition target for T-Mobile. ..

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WeSRT4
join:2000-11-20
Mobile, AL

WeSRT4

Member

Dump Nextel

Sprint really needs to spin off Nextel and cut their loss. The T-Mobile/Sprint merger idea is almost as bad as the Sprint/Nextel merger.

MysticGogeta
The Robot Devil
Premium Member
join:2005-03-14
Katy, TX

MysticGogeta

Premium Member

Re: Dump Nextel

I agree they need to dump nextel

PhoenixDown
FIOS is Awesome
Premium Member
join:2003-06-08
Fresh Meadows, NY

PhoenixDown to WeSRT4

Premium Member

to WeSRT4
Too late to spin of nextel -- and the value of nextel at this point is purely their spectrum, which Sprint could use if they ever get a plan together.
SunnyFL8
Premium Member
join:2001-02-08

SunnyFL8 to WeSRT4

Premium Member

to WeSRT4
said by WeSRT4:

Sprint really needs to spin off Nextel and cut their loss. The T-Mobile/Sprint merger idea is almost as bad as the Sprint/Nextel merger.
Exactly I agree. The networks are not compatible how would this help T-mobile unless they folded Sprint and got rid of its own competition. But that would be foolish waste of money.

needforspeed59
Cruise Ship Just Passing Through
join:2001-05-02
La Place, LA

needforspeed59

Member

Good one!

"Besides, we're almost 100% positive that Sprint is merging with Monsanto and getting into the genetically-modified crop business."
Ok, that is funny!

old_dawg
"I Know Noting..."
join:2001-09-22
Westminster, MD

old_dawg

Member

Re: Good one!

said by needforspeed59:

"Besides, we're almost 100% positive that Sprint is merging with Monsanto and getting into the genetically-modified crop business."
Ok, that is funny!
No, it's too sad to be funny,witnessing one bozo CEO after another run the company into the ground then drift away on a golden parachute embossed with the Alfred E Neuman logo.
I'm a real big fan of money, call me a capitalist tool if you want, but perhaps these a$$hats need to be prosecuted as criminals.

baddealsemerge
@verizon.net

baddealsemerge

Anon

sprint screwed nextel

sprint screwed nextel, and the company who gains from that loss is verizon. they have push to talk which will give verizon nextel's loyal high volume business base and nextel is now screwed since they are now losing this customer base in droves and it's primarily sprint's fault. you need to keep in mind, when you lose ONE business customer to verizon, your losing dozens more, since the systems aren't inter-operable.
sprint & tmobile have less systems/technology in common so a merger would make even less sense than sprint/nextel. the other problem is tmobile is a low cost carrier (seemingly) of last resort.. customers are looking for good deals for low buckets of minutes dirt cheap.. and guess what? if sprint merges with tmobile.. that customer base will go elsewhere.. probably at&t.. even though that's the last thing I'd want to happen.. at&t doesn't deserve the extra customers.

rbrussell82
join:2003-04-19
Elgin, IL

rbrussell82

Member

Re: sprint screwed nextel

I'm sorry, but all of those people you say Nextel is having problems because of Sprint doesn't know what they're talking about. It has been all over the net that Nextel was at capacity and was starting to have major problems before Sprint was even in the picture. If Sprint didn't merge with them, they would have been run underground, especially with their rebanding they have to do on their entire network.

BillRoland
Premium Member
join:2001-01-21
Ocala, FL

BillRoland

Premium Member

Re: sprint screwed nextel

Well rbrussell82 See Profile, you might want to do some independent analysis yourself before you start trying to "educate" us. If you read NEXTEL's financials going into the merger, they were adding roughly 750,000 post-paid subscribers a quarter, had one of the lowest churn rates in the industry, and the highest ARPU of anybody. They were also adding 2,500+ cell sites a year (more than Sprint added in 2005 and 2006 combined). They were also posting some of the strongest, healthiest numbers of any wireless company. NEXTEL the company was not at capacity, they were actively building out new sites to expand the network and keep ahead of capacity, and they were also in the midst of introducing the 6:1 interconnect vocoder to deal with capacity problems when Sprint took over (which had well documented problems but which could have been worked out if Sprint had cared to).

Sprint slashed spending on the iDEN network and those capacity problems you mention did turn into a reality in short order. Its a lot easier to keep ahead of the demand than to fall 10 miles back and try and make it up. Sprint came in and decimated the NEXTEL brand, brought their lousy customer service, tried to kill off any innovative new NEXTEL handsets (they rolled out the i930 smartphone by also cutting off WiDEN, which was unnecessary anyway since it only used excess available bandwidth, making the phone useless), and just expected people to flock with arms open wide to the CDMA side. Unless you haven't noticed, they're flocking alright, away from Sprint totally. Indeed, the best thing they can do is spin it off, get Tim Donahue to run it, and bring NEXTEL back to its glory. It can be done, with proper management.

joako
Premium Member
join:2000-09-07
/dev/null

joako

Premium Member

Re: sprint screwed nextel

NEXTEL was at capacity and you should know because it was an issue in our area. The "solution" so to speak was 2:1 interconnect so I guess you could say technically the network wasn't at capacity but the price was every person you spoke to sounded like a robot and you sounded like one to them. Just not acceptable to me. Every time I went to Ashtin or those people in the yellow building off Pine Ave they'd look at it say the phone was fine and that it was the network, I was the x person that day to complain about it.

I think that they did what any company would do during a merger... why are you going to suddenly continue to sign tower colocation leases when you just merged with a company that might hold similar assets. Choosing a tower site is something done in the long term. You just don't setup on a tower and decide to move it a year later it makes no financial sense and those are usually long-term contracts. You are going to see, obviously, less expansion after a merger as the companies align themselves. You have so many overlapping resources that you need to eliminate or else you're never going to make a return on your investment. Remember, shareholders = #1.

I don't think Sprint would spin off Nextel. They have already made a significant investment and have pretty much integrated the companies. They are just about done merging billing systems into one. I am sure much has been done to combine the operations of the two networks... e.g.: shared switching equipment, transport lines, tower space. Once everything is integrated the way I see it to spin off Nextel would be to keep about the same operating costs and loosing revenue.

The main issue is Sprint's poor customer service and their reputation for the same. They seriously should fire everyone and start over. I'm not saying its the people answering the phones I just think Sprint doesn't train people well, if at all and doesn't put the right people working at the right places.

rbrussell82
join:2003-04-19
Elgin, IL

rbrussell82

Member

Re: sprint screwed nextel

I completely agree joako. As far as customer service, I worked as a Sprint Business Specialist II in a call center before the merger. The training was long and hard for a lot of people. There were a few of us that were way ahead of the rest of the class. You should have seen some of the people they hired though, I know why their customer service is poor. Once out on the floor it was all about numbers, like it is with most call centers. Honestly though, their old billing system was horrible and confusing to a lot of people.

joako
Premium Member
join:2000-09-07
/dev/null

joako

Premium Member

Re: sprint screwed nextel

Saw this article... basically confirming my thoughts.
Sprint Says Splitting Up Would Be A Nightmare

By Crayton Harrison

March 12 (Bloomberg) -- Sprint Nextel Corp., the wireless carrier formed by the merger of Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc. in 2005, couldn't easily be split up again, Chief Network Officer Kathy Walker said.

Separating operations would take longer than the integration of Nextel, Walker said today at a Bear Stearns conference in Palm Beach, Florida. Sprint has trained technicians to work on both companies' technologies and has combined network-monitoring operations, she said.

About 1.2 million users canceled their contracts with Sprint last year, complaining about poor customer service and dropped calls. The former Nextel network made up about one-third of Sprint's customers at the end of last year, compared with about 40 percent when the companies combined.

``With everything we've done, it'd probably take longer to undo it,'' Walker said, responding to a question about what it would take to split up. ``Taking that integration plan and reverse-engineering it would be the way we would look at it.''

Sprint, the third-biggest U.S. mobile-phone service provider, fell 10 cents to $6.07 at 1:04 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares had dropped 53 percent this year before today.

While Sprint has integrated many of its operations with Nextel's, it still runs networks that don't overlap much, Walker said. Sprint, based in Overland Park, Kansas, has combined network technology in about one-tenth of its wireless sites, with the rest dedicated solely to one system or the other for logistical reasons such as space limitations, she said.

No Buyers

Selling the former Nextel network would be difficult because there are no buyers, Lehman Brothers analyst Thomas Seitz said last month in a research note.

``We cannot think of a scenario where someone would want to re-enter the market as a fifth national player and heat up what is already a very competitive market,'' said Seitz, who is based in Washington and expects Sprint shares to perform in line with the broader market.

Instead of breaking up the company or shutting down the Nextel network, Sprint should try to stem subscriber losses to boost its share price, Seitz said.

Sprint may detail spending plans for a new network called Xohm when the company reports first-quarter results, Kurt Fawkes, vice president for investor relations, said today. The network will offer faster Internet connections for applications such as music and video downloads.

The company scrapped an agreement last year with Clearwire Corp. to share costs to build a network that would have reached as many as 100 million people. Paul Saleh, who stepped down as chief financial officer in January, said in December that the company could spin off Xohm, seeking outside investors to reduce the cost of building it.
BigUn71
join:2008-06-06
Liberty, MO

BigUn71 to BillRoland

Member

to BillRoland
Dude, you're AWESOME! My thoughts exactly, at first everybody thought it was the best idea in the universe that Nextel gave in to Sprint. I had Nextel for a while when I was installing cable T.V. I liked having the service, I also had a Sprint phone. After acquiring the Sprint service, I quickly found out how bad their service was, not only the wireless service, but, their CUSTOMER service. last year they were awarded the company to have the WORSE customer service in the country. Nextel really does need to break away from the Sprint devils. I am still stuck in my sprint contract, but they have been prettydecent lately.
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88 to baddealsemerge

Member

to baddealsemerge
said by baddealsemerge :

they have push to talk which will give verizon nextel's loyal high volume business base and nextel is now screwed since they are now losing this customer base in droves and it's primarily sprint's fault. you need to keep in mind, when you lose ONE business customer to verizon, your losing dozens more, since the systems aren't inter-operable.
Verizon only has 2 PTT phones that are 5 years old. Verizon abandoned PTT out of the gate, plus nobody is on it. Nobody uses it. Thats what M2M minutes are for.

iLive4Fusion
Premium Member
join:2006-07-13

iLive4Fusion to baddealsemerge

Premium Member

to baddealsemerge
said by baddealsemerge :

sprint screwed nextel, and the company who gains from that loss is verizon. they have push to talk which will give verizon nextel's loyal high volume business base and nextel is now screwed since they are now losing this customer base in droves and it's primarily sprint's fault. you need to keep in mind, when you lose ONE business customer to verizon, your losing dozens more, since the systems aren't inter-operable.
People won't switch to VZW PTT because it flat out SUCKS compared to iDEN PTT systems. Maybe after they roll out PTT on EVDO. A like Sprint does people would even consider them

AZ_OGM
join:2007-01-12
Phoenix, AZ

AZ_OGM

Member

Hell No

April Fools Day is still over three weeks away. The mere thought of T-Mobile buying that cancer of a company makes my skin crawl.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

TM and Sprint

TM could take over easily. The only thing they'd really have to do is convert the Sprint CDMA network to GSM. Not a big deal there just lots of $$$ give a shut off date for the CDMA system- like all new contracts are signed under TM's GSM. Actually shut down the iDEN network and convert those users to the TM GSM as well.

The only thing thats left is the MVNOs that use Sprint's network. TM could convert the network without a problem. Cellular One went from CDMA to GSM then was picked up by AT&T. You just have to upgrade is stages.

This would be great for TM but then there goes the roaming agreements for VZ, and Alltel who both use Sprint.

bobjohnson
Premium Member
join:2007-02-03
Spartanburg, SC

bobjohnson

Premium Member

Re: TM and Sprint

said by hottboiinnc4:

TM could take over easily. The only thing they'd really have to do is convert the Sprint CDMA network to GSM. Not a big deal there just lots of $$$ give a shut off date for the CDMA system- like all new contracts are signed under TM's GSM. Actually shut down the iDEN network and convert those users to the TM GSM as well.

The only thing thats left is the MVNOs that use Sprint's network. TM could convert the network without a problem. Cellular One went from CDMA to GSM then was picked up by AT&T. You just have to upgrade is stages.

This would be great for TM but then there goes the roaming agreements for VZ, and Alltel who both use Sprint.
I don't personally think that t-mo would want all that trouble and they would lose millions of the iden and cdma subs on a takeover and they wouldn't switch to t-mo most likely... I know this is a rumor but it just seems out of reach for a gsm based company to aquire the mess at sprint
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: TM and Sprint

well iDEN is set to shut down soon anyway. so there would be no big lose there. thats why the new phones came out and q-chat should be seeing deployment over the phones to bridge everything together.

as far as using CDMA over GSM id take the GSM any day. I love the option of taking a simcard out of the phone and putting it in a new one without having to reprogram the phone with your information and can use a friends phone if your's dies (as long as they have the same carrier of course).

I could see TM taking over and redoing the entire company. iDEN should be shut down with the problems it causes Emergency workers, and CDMA needs to be replaced with the new GSM.

Although anyone taking over Sprint should be a a carrier like MetroPCS or Revol Wireless (www.revol.us) and turn them into a large flat rate company nation wide using their current pricing.

VegasMan
Living the Vegas life.
Premium Member
join:2002-11-17
Las Vegas, NV
·CenturyLink

VegasMan

Premium Member

Re: TM and Sprint

said by hottboiinnc4:

well iDEN is set to shut down soon anyway. so there would be no big lose there. thats why the new phones came out and q-chat should be seeing deployment over the phones to bridge everything together.

as far as using CDMA over GSM id take the GSM any day. I love the option of taking a simcard out of the phone and putting it in a new one without having to reprogram the phone with your information and can use a friends phone if your's dies (as long as they have the same carrier of course).

I could see TM taking over and redoing the entire company. iDEN should be shut down with the problems it causes Emergency workers, and CDMA needs to be replaced with the new GSM.

Although anyone taking over Sprint should be a a carrier like MetroPCS or Revol Wireless (www.revol.us) and turn them into a large flat rate company nation wide using their current pricing.
You really know nothing on how cellphones work do you? The sim card has nothing to do with if the phone is CDMA or GSM of TDMA or even analog. It has to do with the locking of the phones and the embedded software. If AT&T used the same software as Sprint, Verizon, Alltel I would be able to use my Sim card in any of them. The sim is locked in by the provider. The only thing GSM has done is that the companies that use The GSM Association Standard have agreed to follow that standard of allowing the sim to be interchangeable.

Secondly iDEN isn't going anywhere. iDEN and public safety can and do work together if the local Gov't and Nextel talk to each other before the network is setup.

K3SGM
- -... ...- -
Premium Member
join:2006-01-17
Columbia, PA

K3SGM

Premium Member

Re: TM and Sprint

T-MO should buy Sprint, spin off Nextel, keep their RF spectrum, and sell the customers to smaller upcomming CDMA PCS providers like Cricket and MetroPCS.

I don't know if any serious offer prices have been suggested, but going forth into 4G LTE and 5G???Whatever.

The RF spectrum costs will be worth far more than the current Sprint customers are.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: TM and Sprint

The thing though with Cricket and MetroPCS they'd want the network as well. Not just the customers. Their network is very limited. MetroPCS probably would look at the entire company to take over. It would be a plus for the Sprint customers as far as voice services go.

K3SGM
- -... ...- -
Premium Member
join:2006-01-17
Columbia, PA

K3SGM

Premium Member

Re: TM and Sprint

said by hottboiinnc4:

The thing though with Cricket and MetroPCS they'd want the network as well. Not just the customers. Their network is very limited. MetroPCS probably would look at the entire company to take over. It would be a plus for the Sprint customers as far as voice services go.
That would work too.

Cricket(Leap) and MetroPCS already have RF spectrum in many major markets, they even were exploring a merger late last year but the deal seems to have fallen through.

T-Mobile should buy Sprint for the RF spectrum alone, they can sell the network and the customers to Cricket and MetroPCS for use on their own owned spectrum.

As for Nextel, I'm sure they will figure something out.

Headgame
@nationwide.com

Headgame to K3SGM

Anon

to K3SGM
Why would you want to get rid of your customers for the RF spectrum. The spectrum is useless if you don't have the customer base. Also, if I am the customer and you sold me to a low level carrier. I would remember that and never use you again. Not a good move.

Pirate515
Premium Member
join:2001-01-22
Brooklyn, NY

1 edit

Pirate515 to hottboiinnc4

Premium Member

to hottboiinnc4
said by hottboiinnc4:

TM could take over easily. The only thing they'd really have to do is convert the Sprint CDMA network to GSM. Not a big deal there just lots of $$$ give a shut off date for the CDMA system - like all new contracts are signed under TM's GSM. Actually shut down the iDEN network and convert those users to the TM GSM as well.
Actually, they will have to be really careful with this one. IMO, CDMA cannot just be converted to GSM that easily, they are 2 different kinds of networks. On top of it all, all customers who are being migrated from CDMA to GSM will need new handsets. T-Mobile cannot just start handing them out for free or at a discount without locking these customers into new contracts (which a lot of customers won't be thrilled about), or they will lose a ton of money. And with Verizon's new open access policy, if Sprint's CDMA network gets shut down, what are the odds that some users won't take their CDMA handsets to Verizon instead of buying new ones from T-Mobile?

en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

en102

Member

Re: TM and Sprint

I tend to agree... while from a business perspective, T-Mo / Sprint might be considered good, logistically, and from a consumer standpoint, it would be pretty bad

1. T-Mobile is typically ranked high in consumer satisfaction
2. Sprint is typically rated at the bottom in consumer satisfaction.
3. T-Mobile is GSM and soon UMTS 1700/2100 MHz
4. Sprint is CDMA 1x EVDO - do you think EVDO customers would want to use EDGE datarates ?
5. Sprint CDMA has a lot of roaming on other CDMA carriers - T-Mobile has a few roaming agreements, but not the same coverage at Sprint's roaming
6. Nextel - would work better in a GSM environment, as it uses GSM signalling and SIM cards as GSM does today.

AT&T would do better with Nextel.

gimme5
join:2002-12-23
Kissimmee, FL

gimme5

Member

Re: TM and Sprint

said by en102:

4. Sprint is CDMA 1x EVDO - do you think EVDO customers would want to use EDGE datarates ?
I used to have T-mobile, I now have Sprint. I would not want to go back to edge, I'll tell you that right now.

Jim Gurd
Premium Member
join:2000-07-08
Livonia, MI

Jim Gurd to en102

Premium Member

to en102
said by en102:

AT&T would do better with Nextel.
Hmm... Now that's an interesting idea. I wonder if Sprint would be willing to sell it to them.

en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

en102

Member

Re: TM and Sprint

Just as interesting... would AT&T want it ?
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88 to en102

Member

to en102
None of you GSM spouting idiots realize that no new GSM networks will ever be set up. If Tmobile does buy Sprint, the only thing Tmobile will install is a UTMS system, NOT a GSM. So you can throw out your GSM-only phones right now. Why on earth would a company install a 2 decade old system? They might as well resurect ATT's TDMA or Analog.

en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

en102

Member

Re: TM and Sprint

Who has a GSM only phone
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88

Member

Re: TM and Sprint

Lets see what ATT sells right now.

17 phones with UTMS/HSDPA
22 phones WITHOUT UTMS/HSDPA

More than half of ATT's phones still don't have 3G. Be serious, GSM is here to stay.

phones without
Iphone
LG CE110
LG CG180
Motorola RAZR V3
Motorola V365
Nokia 2610
Nokia 6085 / 6086
Nokia 6126 / 6131 / 6133
Palm Centro 685
Palm Treo 680
Pantech C150
Research In Motion BlackBerry 8700
Research In Motion BlackBerry 8820
Research In Motion BlackBerry Curve 8310
Research In Motion BlackBerry Pearl 8100
Samsung SGH-A117
Samsung SGH-A127
Samsung SGH-A437
Samsung SGH-A517
Sony Ericsson W580 / S500
Sony Ericsson Z310

Source: phonescoop.com

en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

en102

Member

Re: TM and Sprint

GSM will be here for a while...especially since there's +2 billion GSM users globally, and the cellular band doesn't exactly fit into UMTS channels 25MHz (paired) = 2 UMTS channels + 5MHz (paired) of fragmented cellular spectrum.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4 to Pirate515

Member

to Pirate515
just because VZW has the open access policy doesnt mean Sprint has to release the ESN to their network. Sprint has to release the network from theirs. I tired that and Sprint doesnt budge.

But as far as changing handsets you give them reasons on why to change to the new handsets and after the buyout/merger you kill all of the handsets that Sprint offers and roll out TM handsets to all the stores and dealers.

Sprint would be smart though to close some of their stores. Here in Toledo OH they have 2 stores in 1 mall. right next door to one another, then a store down the street, and then another one 3 blocks from those. Thats tooooo many stores with all of the dealers.

Work
@charter.com

Work to hottboiinnc4

Anon

to hottboiinnc4
cell one wasn't ever CDMA... at least not as long as i've been using them...which has been since the launch of the original digital cell phones..
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: TM and Sprint

Cellular One was CDMA here in Ohio when they changed from AirTouch to them. We weren't part of the VZW brand until after CellOne couldnt compete with Sprint or Alltel. and they pissed all the AT customers off by making them get new phones and sign a new year contract. After that it went to CellCo Partership/VZW
SunnyFL8
Premium Member
join:2001-02-08

SunnyFL8

Premium Member

Hope to see price wars

I think its long enough seeing SMS,Text ect.. costs going through the roof and being jacked up nickle and dime for everything. Time to see some real competition with price and service.

Sprint needs to concentrate on there network though it is seriously lacking need more towers.

Nextel beats print in that department.

I like to see lower prices.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: Hope to see price wars

Sprint had great coverage on the CMDMA until they started to moving equipment around to towers they owned from Nextel or Nextel to Sprint towers instead of paying leases. Thats when Sprint's coverage started to fall.
DMS1
join:2005-04-06
Plano, TX

DMS1

Member

Buy iDEN

With Motorola supposedly looking to spin off and sell off various parts of the business it could make sense for Sprint to buy the iDEN technology that the Nextel service uses and make money by licensing that to other handset manufacturers and operators.
60127178 (banned)
K.U. Sweet 16
join:2001-02-15
Wichita, KS

60127178 (banned)

Member

QChat

With the first (rather good) reports of QChat coming in over the last couple of weeks I think a Sprint owned iDEN network is doomed.
romulusnr
join:2007-08-01
Federal Way, WA

romulusnr

Member

Sprint should sell Nextel to TMO

iDEN is closer to GSM than CDMA anyway. And I know TMO has been looking into PTT; acquiring NXL would make that much easier.

I wouldn't expect a lot of post-purchase churn from iDEN users because PTT is a lock-in. Until someone else develops a comparable non-iDEN PTT solution, and markets it prominently, iDEN users are going to stay put. Was there much churn after the merger with Sprint? I know I still hear the telltale chirp-chatter here and there.

The question for any buyer is: does iDEN have enough customers and potential customers to be worth the purchase? Has that in fact been Sprint-Nextel's ultimate problem? Can TMO do better with leveraging iDEN then Sprint has?

Maybe the magic bullet will be to create a comparable PTT service at the same time on your legacy network, then flip your iDEN customers over to it.

•••

tiger72
SexaT duorP
Premium Member
join:2001-03-28
Saint Louis, MO

tiger72

Premium Member

I swear to god... TMO + Sprint = TMO hemorrhage

If Sprint were to EVER merge with TMO (TMO isn't this stupid, but hypothetically speaking), I would drop TMO in a heartbeat and go to VZ or ATT. I'm extremely happy with my TMO. It's network works wherever I go, and their prices are good. I've heard nothing but negativity about Sprint, and I live near their headquarters! Who would want to affiliate with a company which can hardly get error-free service in their own backyard?!

T-Mobile is doing well enough on their own with GSM. No need to mess that up.

•••
xenophon
join:2007-09-17

xenophon

Member

Mexican tyicoon may be interested?

»www.alleyinsider.com/200 ··· t_nextel
quote:
But the WSJ's Deal Journal blog floats an interesting idea today: Could Mexican telecom tycoon Carlos Slim Helu want to expand his empire to the U.S. -- by buying Sprint?
flyingjoey
join:2005-11-07
Jersey City, NJ

flyingjoey

Member

2 Cents

T-Mos customer base is more of the 14-25 growd. The reason why T-Mo gains customers is because they don't do a credit checks, pretty much you can wheele a dead person on an office chair into a T-Mo store, the dead person will get a T-Mobile phone (true story).

Everyone keeps bitching about sprint... Sprint this, sprint that, SHUT THE F___ UP! and deal with it. If you don't like sprint, then go elsewhere.

As long as I can get cheap unlimited data services as well as resonable voice services pricing (which I am getting) I will remain a Sprint customer.

How often do i call customer service... Several times a year and it is always when I have to teach my little sister a lesson and suspend her phone. I have never had an issue with Sprint, bill, or customer service or anything. I've been a customer since 1997.

AZ_OGM
join:2007-01-12
Phoenix, AZ

AZ_OGM

Member

Re: 2 Cents

said by flyingjoey:

The reason why T-Mo gains customers is because they don't do a credit checks,
Actually that is very wrong. I just signed up with T-Mobile last month and had to submit to a credit check for post-pay service. Now the prepaid service doesn't require a credit check. In fact, I am pretty sure most of the major carriers require a credit check for postpaid service.
Indybeck
join:2008-03-07
Indianapolis, IN

Indybeck

Member

T-Mobile/Sprint

Really? T-Mobile might buy Sprint? The only way I see that making sense if DT wanted their great global IP backbone. I think we all know (especially) Sprint what bad of an idea it would be to try to combine CDMA with GSM. Someone posted they would 'just' replace the CDMA with GSM. I think that would be quite pricey. Besides, doesn't Sprint have a superior network to T-Mobile anyways? The only good thing about T-Mobile is their pricing and Customer Service. I also saw someone below mentioning Cellular One going from CDMA to GSM. Weren't they actually TDMA???

It's a shame about Sprint. I worked for them from 1998 to 2003 and I really thought they were going to kick butt. I think the best logical transition would be for Verizon to buy Sprint...
DarnellP
join:2004-10-12
Las Vegas, NV

DarnellP

Member

Re: T-Mobile/Sprint

said by Indybeck:

I worked for them from 1998 to 2003 and I really thought they were going to kick butt. I think the best logical transition would be for Verizon to buy Sprint...
I somehow doubt the DOJ would allow VZW to buy Sprint. I think a better solution would be for Sprint to merge with Alltel. If that couldn't be arranged then maybe USCellular.

But this Deutsche Telekom buying Sprint rumor? That's a fail IMO.

ureihcim3
Freshly made
join:2007-12-16
Miami, FL

ureihcim3

Member

.

Now that's just supid.

What will make sense is if SK Telecom acquires Sprint-Nextel, and XOHM will be their second generation of their Wi-Bro deployment which has not been as good in Korea.

Nextel can be simply a parent company as a low tier carrier, meaning this is where you will find all the prepaid and 39.99 for 1000 minutes BS. Or 59.99 for unlimited calling.

This makes sense because the Nextel brand can compete at the lower levels, while those who seek data usage can hop into the WiMAX bandwagon. The billing systems are just about merged and the company has shrunk and reorganized itself enough to become effective.

But bringing GSM into the mix makes no sense unless it had someone to do with international coverage. With Sprint using T-Mobile GSM agreements to reach South american customers and Canadian customers.

Let's not forget that there is also a Nextel International which is a completely separate company operating in South America and other parts of the world.

Bringing EV-DO and other forms of wireless service to the south american community and other parts of the world and providing just EV-DO coverage can actually be a capital which they can tap into.

The Beer
I Love It When A Plan Comes Together
Premium Member
join:2001-07-24
Lincoln, NE

The Beer

Premium Member

US Cellular Buy Sprint...

Not going to happen but a marrige made in heaven.

USCC gets Sprints EVDO network, something they need.
Sprints customers get USCC's legendary customer service.

I realize the scale of what I am talking about but when does the price of Sprint get so low that the network and licenses alone are worth it to purchase?

I love USCC however had to goto Sprint to get with the times for EVDO on the laptop.
pepperxn
join:2001-02-21

pepperxn

Member

spin off/split

Sell their fiber operations to Qwest, their WiMax to Clearwire, and split up the company, which will be combined with MetroPCS, Leap Wireless, Alltel, and/or other smaller CDMA carriers.

DaddyO
@comcast.net

DaddyO

Anon

Sprint killed Nextel

Sprint killed Nextel. They killed the build plan that would have taken care of the capacity problems. Nextel had the highest ARPU and the most loyal customers in the industry. They had a differentiated product that has been run to the ground by the idiots at Sprint. The culture is what made Nextel great. They would do anything to keep their high valued customers happy. It is no wonder all the great talent left that company. The real leaders moved on. If the build plan had been maintiained Nextel would have stayed ahead of rebanding. If Nextel did not merge with Sprint it would have chosen another Next Generation paltform for wideband like Flarion or Wimax anyway. I hate those dumb asses at Sprint. I feel bad for the customers, the stock holders and the employees.....

rbrussell82
join:2003-04-19
Elgin, IL

rbrussell82

Member

Re: Sprint killed Nextel

If Nextel was so great, then why were they looking for a merger? Companies usually don't look for a merger unless they're having problems, so Nextel must have known they were going to have problems. Of course many of the build plans were scrapped, but honestly, how do you expect a company to operate and expand two networks? Especially after spending billions of dollars on the "merger".

I've never owned a Nextel phone but I've used them, and honestly, they were the worst pieces of crap I've ever used. Sure the PTT was great and fast, but it sounded like crap.

Tabasco1TX
@tmodns.net

Tabasco1TX

Anon

T-Mobile/Sprint

T-Mobile has one the JD Power & Associates Award for customer service for 3 years running. I had Sprint 4 Years ago and switched to T-Mobile after they(Sprint) kept messing up my bill.I've had T-Mobile for 4 years and and like the service and employees. The down side to T-Mobile is the lack of any kind of 3g network. With Sprint-Nextel already having 3g up and going it could be an advantage for T-Mobile to buy Sprint and use their 3g network which will give them time to build up their 1700 mhz system. A lot of business people that i know have left T-Mobile for AT&T,Verizon or Sprint strictly for the data services.They didn't want to, but EDGE and GPRS was just too slow for them. As long as T-Mobile doesn't loose what has made them the best,Customer Service, then the merger could work. Those who want data services could switch to CDMA phones and those who don't could stay on the GSM network. Wether they make people turn in their handsets for GSM or keep both, or switch to CDMA, i think it's a good thing for both companies. It could save Sprint and boost T-Mobile.

Danny
@charter.com

Danny

Anon

T-Mobile USA vs T-Mobile International (DT)

T-Mobile is a global wireless powerhouse with many subsidiaries. Let's not mistake T-Mobile's International unit with T-Mobile USA.

Technically, DT could purchase and maintain Sprint Nextel "as is," while keeping their core US unit (subsidiary) seperate. What DT does with Sprint Nextel and the subscriber base if this were to happen is anyone's guess.

(Insert your "The DOJ would never allow this," comment here)

I know this is all speculation, but I'm just saying....
douglas_c17
join:2004-05-22
Winfield, MO

douglas_c17

Member

Wow... Could it be true?

You know, I've been a Nextel subscriber for many years now. I loved them (other than their customer service being regualr business hours)the entire time. Ever since Sprint got their hands on Nextel, customer service has gone down the drain. Working in IT/Telecom professionally, our companies largest account is with Sprint. Dealing with their "business" customer service is the sort of task that requires two things to handle well: Training in Ebonics, as well as a bottle of Prozac. No good. Let Nextel be their own company again, and then let T-Mobile put Sprint out of their independent misery.
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