Archive | 2014

SoftBank chief on failed Sprint/T-Mobile deal: “No Comment”

At the end of one of the most interesting weeks in wireless so far year, SoftBank’s chief, Masayoshi Son, fielded questions from reporters on the ordeal during the Japanese carrier’s Q2 earnings announcement. According to people in the know, his company backed out of its planned deal to buy a controlling stake in T-Mobile. This – of course – meant no merger between Sprint and T-Mobile. The next day, Hesse was … [read full article]

T-Mo to overtake Sprint as #3 carrier by year’s end?

If John Legere has his way, T-Mobile will have overtaken Sprint as the third biggest network operator in the U.S. by the end of 2014. This statement of intent came just a day after the company announced it had taken Sprint’s crown as the top prepaid carrier. “I predict the #uncarrier will overtake @Sprint in total customers by the end of the year! There, I said it!,” tweeted Legere. … [read full article]

T-Mobile now #1 prepaid carrier, overtakes Sprint

T-Mobile today announced that it is now the biggest prepaid carrier in the States. It’s now ahead of Sprint, Verizon and AT&T. With a customer base of 15.64 million subscribers it’s 0.55 million ahead of Sprint in the prepaid market. AT&T and Verizon are both some way behind on 11.34 million and 6.04 million respectively. “The good news just keeps on coming for T-Mobile,” said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile US, Inc. “The momentum we’re … [read full article]

Fallout from last night: Hesse gone, Legere “welcomes” new Sprint CEO, stocks tank and more…

It’s been interesting watching the internet react to last night’s developments. For those who may have missed it: Sprint gave up on its plan to merge with T-Mobile, and since then, all hell has broken loose. . 1. Stocks Tank It’d be foolish to assume that company stock value wouldn’t be affected by the major news, and neither T-Mobile nor Sprint came out unscathed. TMUS dropped 8.40% following news that … [read full article]

Sony Xperia Z1s finally receiving Android 4.4.4 KitKat update

Heading over to T-Mobile’s support section, it’s clear that customers have been eager to know the carrier’s plans for the Sony Xperia Z1s for some time. Thankfully, the wait is over and Android 4.4.4 has finally arrived for the T-Mo exclusive device. A reader got in touch with us this morning with news of the update, claiming they were able to install it OTA. So if you have a Sony Xperia Z1s, go in to … [read full article]

Battery life on T-Mo smartphones lasts longer than competitors according to recent test

We often see tests and comparisons on various smartphones to see which device offers the best battery life. For some, it’s a vital metric that helps make informed choices on which phone to buy. But you rarely see tests comparing the same phone on different carriers to see if that makes a difference. And apparently, it does. LaptopMag published results of a test yesterday afternoon, and it would seem that if you buy a top smartphone on … [read full article]

WSJ: Sprint, T-Mobile merger is off

“And there was much rejoicing.” The Wall Street Journal reports that Sprint has decided to give up its plans on merging with T-Mobile. According to its anonymous sources, both SoftBank and Sprint feel that winning the approval of U.S. regulators will be too difficult. Sprint had been working on a bid for T-Mobile for months while studying regulatory opposition. Officials at both the Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission had signaled early on they were … [read full article]

Iliad in talks with Dish, Charter Communications and others to raise bid for T-Mobile?

Earlier today we read a report stating that T-Mobile will officially reject the well-documented approach from Iliad. The French communications company seems persistent, however, as another new report claims that Iliad is look at other means of raising investment so that it can improve its offer. Reuters reports: French telecom firm Iliad (ILD.PA) is in talks with investors to improve its bid for T-Mobile US … [read full article]

Over 50,000 BlackBerry users have upgraded to a new device since April’s “loyalty offer”

Back in March/April T-Mobile and BlackBerry had something of a public fallout. T-Mo had been reaching out to existing BlackBerry-toting customers offering them an upgrade to an iPhone. BlackBerry’s chief responded, calling the marketing effort “inappropriate and ill-conceived”. After various back and forths involving a trade-in offer and a $100 ShopBlackBerry discount, T-Mobile launched a new “loyalty offer” in April. Customers upgrading their BlackBerry phones for a Samsung would get a … [read full article]