T-Mobile and MetroPCS join forces in merger: the full story – The Verge

T-Mobile drops anti-net neutrality lawsuit filed by MetroPCS, leaving Verizon on its own

2013-05-17T16:29:33-04:00

T-Mobile store (STOCK)

Cellphone carriers have generally met net neutrality proposals with varying levels of hostility, but Verizon and MetroPCS have been particularly belligerent: in 2011, they sued to overturn the FCC's then-newly adopted Open Internet rules. Since then, the two have consistently argued in court against the rules, which they've said undermine the freedom to run their networks as they see fit. But as T-Mobile finalizes its merger with MetroPCS, it's decided it doesn't want an old lawsuit to come with its new spectrum. In a court statement filed today, T-Mobile has moved to dismiss its appeals claim.

T-Mobile's decision to back out doesn't mean t …

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T-Mobile and MetroPCS merger finalized, company to begin trading as ‘T-Mobile US’

2013-05-01T06:58:08-04:00

T-Mobile store (STOCK)

T-Mobile and MetroPCS have successfully closed the merger both wireless carriers set out on last year. Confirmed in the newly-merged company's fact sheet and investor page, the deal pairs T-Mobile USA's 34 million subscribers with the near 9 million tallied by MetroPCS. The Associated Press first reported that the merger was nearing finalization yesterday, and both companies' investor pages confirm the new company will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol TMUS.

The joined entity will operate under the T-Mobile brand, with plans calling for MetroPCS customers to be migrated over to T-Mobile's network by 2015. Once tha …

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MetroPCS shareholders approve T-Mobile USA merger

2013-04-24T09:50:58-04:00

T-Mobile Germany (STOCK)

Bloomberg and Reuters are reporting that MetroPCS shareholders have approved a deal to merge with T-Mobile USA. The approval comes after the deal received a blessing from the FCC and the Justice Department in March, and board approval from each company last October.

The merger will allow T-Mobile to expand its freshly-launched LTE network in the United States, which launched in seven cities on March 26th. T-Mobile says it expects to deliver LTE to 100 million people by mid-2013, and 200 million customers nationwide by the end of the year.

The deal was expected to close in the first half of 2013, and will move over 9 million MetroPCS subscr …

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MetroPCS vote on T-Mobile merger postponed as Deutsche Telekom sweetens the deal

2013-04-10T22:15:04-04:00

T-Mobile Germany (STOCK)

MetroPCS is putting a Friday vote on the proposed merger with T-Mobile USA on hold until April 24th. MetroPCS announced the postponement today, and according to All Things D, the revised terms will reduce MetroPCS's debt burden in the aftermath - from $15 billion to $11.2 billion. The Wall Street Journal reports that the interest rate on that debt would also be cut by half a percentage point in what T-Mobile's German parent Deutsche Telekom called its "best and final offer." Shareholders had reportedly been prepared to reject the previous terms of the deal if it had gone to a vote as planned.

Since 2011's failed attempt to sell T-Mobile USA …

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T-Mobile and MetroPCS merger approved by the FCC

2013-03-12T13:44:41-04:00

T-Mobile store (STOCK)

We knew things were moving forward, and now the Federal Communications Commission has approved the merger between T-Mobile and MetroPCS. In a statement released today, FCC chairman Julius Genachowski said that allowing the two companies to join forces will "benefit millions of American consumers and help the US maintain the global leadership in mobile it has regained in recent years."

Word first broke that T-Mobile's parent company, Deutsche Telekom, was interested in acquiring MetroPCS last year, with the boards of both companies approving the transaction last October. Regulatory approval was still necessary, however, but earlier this mont …

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US Justice Department won’t intervene in T-Mobile, MetroPCS merger

2013-03-06T12:03:29-05:00

T-mobile store logo (1020)

The proposed merger between T-Mobile and MetroPCS still has plenty of regulatory hurdles to overcome, but now there's one less to worry about. Seemingly unconcerned with the plan, the US Department of Justice has allowed a 30-day waiting period (mandated by antitrust law) to lapse without objection. "Deutsche Telekom has reached an important staging post at the approval process of the merger of its subsidiary T-Mobile USA and MetroPCS," said T-Mobile's corporate parent in a statement.

For the fourth and fifth largest US carriers to combine, approval will also need to come from the Federal Communications Commission, the Committee on Foreign …

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T-Mobile USA loses more contract customers ahead of Metro PCS merger

2013-02-28T03:05:10-05:00

T-mobile store logo (1020)

Another quarter, another half a million fewer postpaid customers for T-Mobile. Today the company reported its fourth quarter financial results, and while revenues are showing signs of growth, they're still five percent lower than they were last year. Despite the 19 percent growth in the number of prepaid customers (including branded and MVNO numbers), it couldn't offset the 13.9 percent drop in contract revenues, which make up more than two thirds of T-Mobile's total revenue stream. The resulting billion-dollar drop in revenues for the year contributed to an operating loss of $6.4 billion - 50 percent higher than 2011's $4.3 billion loss.

I …

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T-Mobile to move MetroPCS customers onto its network by 2015, expand LTE coverage

2012-10-03T11:50:04-04:00

Cell tower (STOCK)

As part of its recently announced merger with T-Mobile USA, MetroPCS will be moving customers off its current CDMA network by 2015, the company says. In a call, the companies said that T-Mobile's GSM network would provide 3G service for MetroPCS subscribers, while the CDMA spectrum would be repurposed to expand 4G LTE. "At the date the deal closes," investors were told, "we will have an array of GSM, HSPA+, and LTE devices available for MetroPCS customers to purchase." Previously, MetroPCS had considered signing roaming partnerships with GSM carriers, using Voice over LTE to make the switch.

Citing a 60 to 65 percent annual upgrade rate, th …

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Deutsche Telekom and MetroPCS boards approve T-Mobile deal (updated)

2012-10-03T08:20:37-04:00

T-Mobile store (STOCK)

The boards of Deutsche Telekom and MetroPCS have approved a deal that would combine MetroPCS with T-Mobile USA,The Wall Street Journal reports. According to sources, the new company will run under the T-Mobile banner, headed by T-Mobile Chief Executive John Legere. However, though Deutsche Telekom reportedly has a substantial stake in the new company, it could reduce it over time, effectively letting MetroPCS take over the T-Mobile label in the US.

No-contract carrier MetroPCS had about 9.3 million subscribers in mid-2012, while T-Mobile USA had closer to 27 million under its contract and prepaid labels and more under MVNOs. Both trail larg …

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Deutsche Telekom confirmed to be in talks to buy MetroPCS (update)

2012-10-02T10:19:55-04:00

Deutsche Telekom headquarters

Deutsche Telekom is allegedly very close to making a deal to purchase MetroPCS, according to a report from Bloomberg. The purchase would be used to strengthen the T-Mobile brand in the US, which is currently the fourth-largest carrier in the country. Bloomberg cites unnamed sources that claim that Deutsche Telekom's board is due to meet tomorrow to approve the transaction.

MetroPCS is just under a third of the size of T-Mobile, which has 33.2 million subscribers in the US. It currently operates a 4G LTE network and 2G CDMA network in various parts of the country. This alleged deal follows T-Mobile's recent sale of the rights to operate its …

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