Latest news with #UScellular
Phone Arena
a day ago
- Business
- Phone Arena
FCC approves T-Mobile-USCellular deal paving the way for it to close soon
Republican FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has made politics part of the FCC's decision-making process by telling companies that if they want the FCC to approve a deal, companies need to get rid of their DEI programs. It brings back memories of the first Trump term when his hand-picked FCC Chairman Ajit Pai ended up engulfed in controversy over his decision to do away with Net Neutrality. The FCC approved the UScellular- T-Mobile transaction without a vote from the full commission. The FCC is currently made up of three commissioners (two Republicans, one Democrat). The regulatory agency is typically has five commissioners with no more than three coming from one party. Not surprisingly, the version of the FCC led by Carr leans more in favor of the carriers and is less likely to rule in favor of consumers. For example, while approving T-Mobile 's deal with UScellular, it refused to rule on matters important to consumers, such as customer transitions, handset unlocking, and roaming. The Rural Wireless Association (RWA) said it is astonished that the FCC "rubber stamped" the deal, and it is concerned that T-Mobile won't honor UScellular's existing roaming agreements with rural carriers. This could possibly force rural providers that rely on these deals to leave the industry. Under the terms of the deal, T-Mobile will pay $2.4 billion in cash and assume $2 billion of UScellular debt to acquire close to 4 million customers belonging to the nation's fifth-largest carrier. T-Mobile also picks up UScellular's retail stores, and its spectrum in the 600 MHz, 700 MHz A Block, PCS, AWS, 2.5 GHz, and 24 GHz (mmWave) frequencies. The 4,400 towers owned by UScellular will stay with the company as it goes into the business of leasing towers. The FCC also approved another transaction involving T-Mobile . The transfer of five Metronet subsidiaries to T-Mobile has been approved by the FCC. This allows the carrier to acquire fiber provider Metronet as part of a deal with LBO firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR). T-Mobile and UScellular now must arrange to close on the transaction. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Phone Arena
a day ago
- Business
- Phone Arena
It's going to be even harder for DISH to give any real competition to AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon now
EchoStar-owned DISH has long stopped being a threat to the Big Three — AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, and the sale of UScellular will make it even more irrelevant. The Department of Justice (DoJ) aimed for DISH to become the fourth-largest carrier following Sprint's purchase by T-Mobile , but when it greenlit the acquisition of UScellular by T-Mobile recently, it noted that the transaction would make it even harder for a fourth national player to emerge. When the DoJ announced that it wouldn't stop T-Mobile from acquiring most of the wireless business of UScellular and some of its infrastructure, it also mentioned concerns about the effects of the deal on competition and further consolidation of spectrum in the hands of the Big Three. Despite the many concerns it had, the DoJ still gave the transaction a go-ahead because it realized that UScellular wouldn't be able to survive without help from T-Mobile . The deal has also been greenlit by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which is hardly surprising, given T-Mobile abandoned its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs to get it FCC wasn't expected to share the DoJ's concern, according to New Street Research policy analyst Blair Levin, as reported by Light Reading . After all, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has not expressed any concern about spectrum aggregation during his tenure as FCC is investigating whether EchoStar, which owns DISH, is meeting its federal obligation by building out a 5G network using the spectrum it owns. If the company is found deficient in its commitment, it might be asked to sell its spectrum to the Big Three. —Blair Levin, New Street Research policy analyst, July 2025 US cable operators, which are shaping up to be a threat to the nation's largest wireless carriers, are unlikely to bid for EchoStar's spectrum, leaving the DoJ no choice but to auction it off to the Big Street Research analyst Jonathan Chaplin believes that cable companies, and not DISH, should be viewed as the country's fourth mobile operator. Though EchoStar once had a shot at becoming the fourth carrier, it no longer seems possible. —Jonathan Chaplin, New Street Research analyst, July 2025 Cable companies like Charter's Spectrum Mobile and Comcast's Xfinity Mobile are outperforming DISH's Boost Mobile and are something of disruptors. They use their Wi-Fi networks and CBRS-based networks to not rely too much on AT&T , T-Mobile , and Verizon , on whom they depend nonetheless to provide service through Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) agreements. That's because they don't have network infrastructure of their own. This allows them to keep costs in check. Cable operators provide mobile service to consumers at half the price of Verizon . At the same time, carriers now offer broadband service for less than what cable charges. EchoStar's chances of survival might start looking up if it signed an MVNO agreement with cable. EchoStar has in the past expressed willingness to do so, but it's not known if any concrete steps were taken to make this said, since EchoStar is in the process of building out its network, this might be difficult to pull off, unless it signs roaming agreements with AT&T and T-Mobile , which they might not agree to. As things stand now, T-Mobile , which is already the largest US wireless carrier, is on its way to becoming even more powerful. This is only going to embolden it to take more unpopular decisions. On the other hand, T-Mobile has the best network in the US and leads in most service metrics, and the purchase of UScellular will allow it to bring better service to consumers in rural areas. Maybe it really is the survival of the fittest. Switch to a 2-month Total 5G or 5G+ plan with Total Wireless and score this foldable deal. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Reuters
4 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
US FCC approves two T-Mobile deals after wireless carrier drops DEI programs
WASHINGTON, July 11 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has approved two T-Mobile (TMUS.O), opens new tab deals that would expand the wireless carrier's network, the commission said on Friday, after the company ended its diversity, equity and inclusion programs under pressure from President Donald Trump's administration. T-Mobile was allowed to buy almost all of regional carrier United States Cellular's wireless operations including customers, stores and 30% of its spectrum assets in a deal valued at $4.4 billion. In a separate transaction, T-Mobile was given a green light to acquire internet service provider Metronet, which reaches more than 2 million homes and businesses in 17 states. T-Mobile said in a letter to FCC Chair Brendan Carr made public on Wednesday that the company is ending its DEI-related policies "not just in name, but in substance." In January, Trump issued sweeping executive orders to dismantle U.S. government DEI programs, and pressured the private sector to join the initiative. U.S. antitrust enforcers approved T-Mobile's UScellular deal on Thursday.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
US FCC approves two T-Mobile deals after wireless carrier drops DEI programs
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has approved two T-Mobile deals that would expand the wireless carrier's network, the commission said on Friday, after the company ended its diversity, equity and inclusion programs under pressure from President Donald Trump's administration. T-Mobile was allowed to buy almost all of regional carrier United States Cellular's wireless operations including customers, stores and 30% of its spectrum assets in a deal valued at $4.4 billion. In a separate transaction, T-Mobile was given a green light to acquire internet service provider Metronet, which reaches more than 2 million homes and businesses in 17 states. T-Mobile said in a letter to FCC Chair Brendan Carr made public on Wednesday that the company is ending its DEI-related policies "not just in name, but in substance." In January, Trump issued sweeping executive orders to dismantle U.S. government DEI programs, and pressured the private sector to join the initiative. U.S. antitrust enforcers approved T-Mobile's UScellular deal on Thursday. Sign in to access your portfolio
Phone Arena
5 days ago
- Business
- Phone Arena
T-Mobile's acquisition of UScellular assets is now one step closer to taking place
It's one down, one to go for T-Mobile 's acquisition of UScellular assets. Requiring approval from both the FCC and the Justice Department, today the latter has given the deal its blessing. The DOJ said that it will not seek an injunction to block the transaction. Back in May 2024, T-Mobile agreed to pay $2.4 billion in cash and assume $2 billion of UScellular debt to acquire wireless customers, retail stores, and 30% of the spectrum assets owned by the nation's fifth-largest wireless carrier. That spectrum includes airwaves in the 600 MHz, 700 MHz A Block, PCS, AWS, 2.5 GHz, and 24 GHz (mmWave) frequencies. T-Mobile is a step closer to acquiring UScellular assets after obtaining DOJ approval for the deal. | Image credit-UScellular That haul includes key frequencies used by T-Mobile, such as the 2.5 GHz mid-band airwaves employed for its Ultra Capacity 5G service, the 600 MHz low-band spectrum used for the carrier's Extended Range 5G service, and the 24 GHz high-band spectrum used for its rarely found mmWave service. Heck, T-Mobile might have entered into this deal specifically to pick up these airwaves. Remember, the carrier paid $26 billion to buy Sprint just for its rival's hoard of 2.5GHz mid-band spectrum, which has helped T-Mobile become the 5G leader in the U.S. Even though the DOJ is letting the transaction go through, it did express some concern about competition in wireless and whether there is enough spectrum available to generate competition. The Justice Department also said in its press release that during the investigation, it considered what U.S. wireless customers would have to deal with if UScellular left the market, what benefits consumers might get from allowing the deal to close, and what the result might be from further consolidation in spectrum holdings. The DOJ also investigated what might happen to UScellular subscribers if the carrier survived as an ongoing firm. The Justice Department determined that, should the DOJ block the deal, UScellular "could not keep up with the escalating cost of capital investments in technology required to compete vigorously in the relevant market. This would, in turn, lead to the slow degradation of its network quality." The DOJ compared this outcome with comments made by T-Mobile , saying that it will combine the two networks so that UScellular customers will experience faster data speeds after the transaction closes. At the same time, T-Mobile customers will get better service in rural markets. It's a win-win for all. -U.S. Department of Justice The DOJ also noted that this is "a pivotal moment for the wireless industry." After years of consolidation in the wireless industry thanks to acquisitions, the Big 3 account for more than 90 percent of the roughly 335 million mobile subscriptions in the U.S. Whether this is a positive or negative statistic won't be known until sometime in the future. In 2019, when T-Mobile acquired Sprint, the DOJ feared that the merger would allow the remaining big three (AT&T, T-Mobile , and Verizon) to harm consumers through coordination, leading to "higher prices, reduced innovation, reduced quality, and fewer choices." The T-Mobile -Sprint deal also resulted in less competition to sell wireless service wholesale to MVNOs. T-Mobile and Sprint had been battling for this business. With the acquisition, that competition was gone. The Big 3 also controls 80% of the mobile wireless spectrum used in the U.S. The DOJ writes, "It is of concern to the United States that continued spectrum aggregation by the Big 3 threatens to impede the path for a fourth national player to emerge and challenge the entrenched incumbents with new and innovative offerings. Where future spectrum consolidation transactions threaten this path, the Antitrust Division stands ready to investigate and, if warranted by the facts and evidence, use its enforcement power to protect competition and American consumers." With this lukewarm approval, all that is needed is for the FCC to approve the deal, and the transaction will be ready to close. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
