Sprint and T-Mobile have reportedly restarted merger talks just five months after they last abandoned the M&A negotiating table.
The Wall Street Journal reports that talks have been rekindled, citing people "familiar with the matter." The latest merger fell apart in November 2017, largely due to ego, according to sources, following a previous unsuccessful attempt in 2014. (See Sprint, T-Mobile Merger Falls Apart (Again!))
If they were to finally get hitched, Sprint Corp. (NYSE: S) and T-Mobile US Inc. would have a combined subscriber base of 130 million and the largest spectrum portfolio of any operator in the US. If reported talks get beyond the negotiating phase this time, US regulators could well look to the operators to give up some spectrum and subscribers.
A larger factor in any talks succeeding could revolve around which carrier would be in control of a combined entity, particularly as "egos clouded" (and eventually sunk) the previous round of talks. (See Source: Egos 'Cloud' Sprint/T-Mobile Talks.)
Light Reading has asked Sprint and T-Mobile for comment on the reported talks. "We have no comment," a Sprint spokeswoman said.
No word from T-Mobile yet.
— Dan Jones, Mobile Editor, Light Reading
Frame of reference: https://www.ispot.tv/ad/AA9G/walmart-credit-card-satchel-featuring-craig-robinson