As most of you know by now, AT&T announced yesterday that they have officially withdrawn their bid and will no longer seek their acquisition of T-Mobile US. For those unaware, Ma Bell will pay Deutsche Telecom a $4 billion fee and walk away from the deal, and we no longer have to fear one of the most monopolistic takeovers in recent history. As a T-Mobile customer, I have to admit I felt a sense of pleasure and relief when I got the breaking news alert from CNN yesterday in my GMail inbox.
Shortly after AT&T’s announcement, Sprint quickly fired back with a response that I’m sure will set a fire underneath AT&T CEO, Randall Stephenson’s behind. Here is Sprints response:
“Earlier today, AT&T terminated its definitive merger agreement with Deutsche Telekom to acquire T-Mobile USA. This is the right decision for consumers, competition and innovation in the wireless industry.
“From the beginning, Sprint has stood with consumers who spoke loudly and clearly that AT&T’s proposed takeover of T-Mobile would create an undeniable duopoly that would have resulted in higher prices, less innovation and fewer choices for the American consumer.
“Sprint commends the Department of Justice, the Federal Communications Commission and the bi-partisan group of state attorneys general who gave voice to the concerns of consumers across the country. We look forward to competing fiercely in the robust, competitive market that exists today and continuing to deliver the world class service and products that consumers have come to expect from Sprint.â€
With the merger officially a thing of the past, there’s a cloud of uncertainty surrounding the future of T-Mobile and the rest of the wireless spectrum, as we know it. I’ve heard people say, “T-Mobile won’t exist by the end of 2012.” I’ve also heard people jump to conclusions that we will get bought out by Verizon. While, I certainly hope neither is the case, your guess is as good as mine about what the future actually holds for Magenta, Ma Bell, Big Red and the nation’s Now Network.
Source: Sprint Via: IntoMobile
