By Allen Tsai | Wed May 05, 2010 12:22 pm |
Deutsche Telekom, the parent company of T-Mobile, is in early-stage talks with Harbinger Capital, a hedge fund that owns radio spectrum, about the possibility of forming a partnership to lease the investment firm's fourth-generation network.
In March, the New York, N.Y.-based hedge fund unveiled plans to build out a 4G network, covering much of the U.S. in high-speed service using a combination of 36,000 traditional cell sites and satellite technology from its large stakes in Inmarsat, SkyTerra and Terrestar.Harbinger said it wouldn't offer service to consumers directly, but instead plans on leasing its network to established and regional wireless providers. Analysts speculate that should a partnership be struck, T-Mobile could reuse its more than 50,000 sites to save Harbinger some $4 billion in new tower costs, in exchange for favorable 4G terms. Once Deutsche Telekom's growth unit, T-Mobile has stumbled in recent months, partly due to stagnating sales from an inability to capitalize on the growing consumer demand for smartphones and high customer defections.
Earlier this week, the German telecom giant said it was committed to U.S. operations, after shareholders criticized the beleaguered carrier's poor performance. Chief Executive Rene Obermann responded by promising that its network would become the fastest in key regions within two years. After spending $4 billion in network upgrades this year alone, T-Mobile is starting to evaluate how to implement its 4G plan. Meanwhile, rivals Verizon and Sprint are already racing to build out their next-generation networks.
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Wed Feb 08, 2012 3:58 pm | By
Broadband startup LightSquared wants the Federal Communications Commission to set standards for GPS reliability, as it attempts to fast-track its own approval process with the regulator.
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Wed Feb 08, 2012 2:39 pm | By
T-Mobile is enticing customers with free 4G devices on Saturday for a Valentine's Day promotion, as it strives to lure data-hungry subscribers and clear inventory for newer devices.
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Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:52 am | By
T-Mobile is placing a limit on consumers' use of domestic data, as the carrier looks to cut costs to stay competitive.
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Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:21 am | By
AT&T will transfer $1 billion in spectrum to T-Mobile, bolstering its would-be partner after the failed merger attempt.
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Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:05 am | By
T-Mobile is offering a special promotion on data, as the carrier attempts to keep up with its rivals.
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