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Conflicting Reports on Whether Comcast Actually Wants T-Mobile

Yesterday we noted that Comcast has been in talks with Deutsche Telekom about a deal that would potentially give the cable giant ownership of T-Mobile. The news immediately broke the hearts of many T-Mobile users, who have grown to like the "uncarrier's" disruptive and consumer friendly policies, and worry that Comcast's ownership would quickly diminish those characteristics. If you're one of those users, there's still hope for you.

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A source tells Ars Technica that Comcast doesn't have a real interest in T-Mobile, since its 2011 partnership with Verizon (which involves Comcast selling Verizon services) offers it all the wireless opportunities it may need:
quote:
A source familiar with Comcast's thinking told Ars after this article published that it is not interested in buying T-Mobile. The source requested anonymity because the company tries to avoid making official comments on rumored mergers.

Since 2012, Comcast has has a commercial partnership with Verizon Wireless that allows it to sell Verizon Wireless products in bundles with Comcast cable services. This partnership would also allow Comcast to resell Verizon Wireless service under its own name beginning next year.
That doesn't really explain why other reports indicate Deutsche Telekom is in talks with Comcast regarding a deal, but it may suggest that Comcast was simply putting out some feelers without a serious intent to buy.
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tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

tshirt

Premium Member

Reselling verizon wreless is not as good as..

...selling your own brand.
But they need to figure out if the priced wants will drive it out of the bargain price category.
trying to sell an over priced T-Mo product would be a disaster.
gabmasterjcc
join:2003-09-08
Fairfax, VA

gabmasterjcc

Member

Posturing by T-Mobile

This is my guess:
Someone is in serious negotiations (probably Dish and T-Mobile), but both sides are trying to get bids or interest to increase their valuation. It gives them a stronger hand at the negotiating table. Dish got their bump last week with the Verizon rumor and T-Mobile is getting theirs this week with Comcast. If T-Mobile can show it has other possible suitors, Dish may pony up a little more to get the deal done or be incentivized to close the deal quicker.

Or maybe things aren't that far along with Dish, and this is all for naught...

TrueTrue
@t-mobile.com

TrueTrue

Anon

Re: Posturing by T-Mobile

Agreed.

When John Stanton was in charge of VoiceStream (now T-Mobile) he left a legacy, which included getting multiple companies to bid.

Back in those days, Deutsche Telekom (whom ultimately won) was bidding against other companies including, believe it or not, Comcast.

By having multiple bidders, the stock price goes up. That's how John Stanton and most of the founders of the original company were able to become millionares and billionares... And when they retired, it left a drain on financial capability *and* technological know-how to build a network.

Look at it this way- T-Mobile has been around since 1996. That said, it's a terrible shame that with 20 years time passing, the company can only seem to find funding in metropolitan areas.
existenz
join:2014-02-12

existenz to gabmasterjcc

Member

to gabmasterjcc
DT supposedly wants TMO to go to Softbank. Softbank wants TMO and may as well give it a another shot (from their perspective) and take chances with Feds if they can arrange low/no breakup fee with TMO.

Softbank is likely in talks with DT right now too, just not leaked. The Feds only thing holding them back.

*Am not in favor of Sprint/TMO merging, just thinking from their perspective

cb14
join:2013-02-04
Miami Beach, FL

1 recommendation

cb14

Member

Re: Posturing by T-Mobile

The earliest moment Sofbank could aim at TMO would be January 2017 and only in the case that the fascists get the presidency,something less than 50% likely. DT will not wait that long with that degree of uncertainty , they want to dump here and now.
clone (banned)
join:2000-12-11
Portage, IN

clone (banned)

Member

Re: Posturing by T-Mobile

said by cb14:

fascists

Ah, so you still believe it's "my team" vs. "your team"? You're so fucking precious. Both parties hate your guts, pleb.

cb14
join:2013-02-04
Miami Beach, FL

cb14

Member

Re: Posturing by T-Mobile

No. Not my team. It's the difference between bad and evil.
moonpuppy (banned)
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD

moonpuppy (banned)

Member

So long T-Mobile

If Comcast buys them, I will ditch them because their customer service will go down the sewers. The same thing happened when ATT tried to buy T-Mobile and their customer service took a huge hit.

IT Guy
Ow, My Balls
Premium Member
join:2004-07-29
Las Cruces, NM

IT Guy

Premium Member

Re: So long T-Mobile

Same here. They will probably also reintroduce contracts and bi-annual rate increases to boot.

Sterling
IP Support Tier III
Premium Member
join:2003-05-30
Pittsburgh, PA

Sterling to moonpuppy

Premium Member

to moonpuppy
Right, because soon after Comcast is going to secretly switch out all the current workers for other ones. Do even hear yourself? If anything, if tmobile's current support is really that awesome then some of that will carry over to Comcast.

IT Guy
Ow, My Balls
Premium Member
join:2004-07-29
Las Cruces, NM

IT Guy

Premium Member

Re: So long T-Mobile

Why switch out the workers, when you could simply switch the script they read from or policies for dealing with customers?
moonpuppy (banned)
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD

1 recommendation

moonpuppy (banned) to Sterling

Member

to Sterling
said by Sterling:

Right, because soon after Comcast is going to secretly switch out all the current workers for other ones. Do even hear yourself? If anything, if tmobile's current support is really that awesome then some of that will carry over to Comcast.

When ATT was going to merge with T-Mobile, their customer service experience went to hell. It wasn't until after ATT gave up that they went back to the old T-Mobile way of doing things. So it doesn't matter how good they are when the policies of Comcast are that bad.

Comcast is not focused on the customer but on their bottom line.

cb14
join:2013-02-04
Miami Beach, FL

cb14

Member

Re: So long T-Mobile

Not only their CS went to hell, so did the network. from the very moment DT signed the agreement with Tea they stopped improving or even maintaining the network. At the time the deal fell through the connectivity was horrible.

Zenit_IIfx
The system is the solution
Premium Member
join:2012-05-07
Purcellville, VA
·Comcast XFINITY

Zenit_IIfx

Premium Member

Nope.

As much as T-Mobile needs the coffers of the Roberts to build out its network further this would be a suicide move. Slapping the Comcast name on T-Mobile would make people switch before anything bad happens.

Comcast only survives in a vacuum where they are the only choice for anything higher than 10mbps. Give any average person a choice of a FTTH provider or Comcast and the FTTH provider generally wins, because in the mind of the layman anything is better than "Comcrap".

The problem is not even the technical side of the service. Its all support and billing. Its a shame, as if Comcast were to put any actual effort in customer service their reputation would not be as horrible as it is.

I would not switch immediately if this were to happen. After all I am already a Comcast hostage whom is somewhat satisfied with the service.

If Legere were to replace Roberts as CEO that would be incredible. But I doubt the Roberts would ever let go of their feudal empire.

why60loss
Premium Member
join:2012-09-20

why60loss

Premium Member

Re: Nope.

said by Zenit_IIfx:

As much as T-Mobile needs the coffers of the Roberts to build out its network further this would be a suicide move. Slapping the Comcast name on T-Mobile would make people switch before anything bad happens.

Comcast only survives in a vacuum where they are the only choice for anything higher than 10mbps. Give any average person a choice of a FTTH provider or Comcast and the FTTH provider generally wins, because in the mind of the layman anything is better than "Comcrap".

The problem is not even the technical side of the service. Its all support and billing. Its a shame, as if Comcast were to put any actual effort in customer service their reputation would not be as horrible as it is.

I would not switch immediately if this were to happen. After all I am already a Comcast hostage whom is somewhat satisfied with the service.

If Legere were to replace Roberts as CEO that would be incredible. But I doubt the Roberts would ever let go of their feudal empire.

I would say this holds truth with TWC as well, some times even more so as areas where AT&T U-verse can nearly match there speed or beat it even.

Like most customers don't cry over 45mbs VS 50mbs if AT&T has much better Customer service and they do. The many ratings out there prove it.

Then in markets where AT&T has done 75mbs and TWC has left the customer to rot on 50/5 I would think they are really bleeding the high end HSI customers.

If we had a FTTH provider and not a 10mbs DSL choice from Century stink I would be on it right now.

I might go ahead and do a new review for TWC at some point even though I am waiting for the result of a number of things they screwed up.

Mike
Mod
join:2000-09-17
Pittsburgh, PA

Mike

Mod

Just John doing his job

John Legere's job is to sell the company. He doesn't care to who. You talk to everyone.

why60loss
Premium Member
join:2012-09-20

why60loss

Premium Member

Re: Just John doing his job

said by Mike:

John Legere's job is to sell the company. He doesn't care to who. You talk to everyone.

And he has been one of the best I have ever seen at his job.

One may disagree with his less than professional tone online, but he does know how to run a business. He knows better than most how to give the shareholders what they want and the customers.

It will be a shame if T-Mobile sells out, but it's what his bosses want him to do so he will do it. (Also because of the nice golden ticket when he does sell out.)

Mike
Mod
join:2000-09-17
Pittsburgh, PA

Mike

Mod

Re: Just John doing his job

ta da
majortom1029
join:2006-10-19
Medford, NY

majortom1029

Member

hmm

They have no need to. Its cheaper to do what cablevision is doing. Install wifi access points all over .

Zenit_IIfx
The system is the solution
Premium Member
join:2012-05-07
Purcellville, VA

Zenit_IIfx

Premium Member

Re: hmm

Comcast installed those strand mount AP's too. Not as much as Cablevision, but they are out there.