By Allen Tsai | Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:49 am |
Sprint is considering whether to allow rival T-Mobile to invest in Clearwire, the company that is building out its "4G" service, in a move that would let the two companies share the same next-generation network.
Clearwire, which is mostly owned by Sprint, is in need of billions of dollars to finish a nationwide 4G rollout, pushing Sprint to decide whether to bring T-Mobile as a partner to help fund the project, according to people familiar with the situation.
Earlier this year, T-Mobile, which lacks a 4G strategy of its own, said it was exploring options for next-generation service, including discussions with Clearwire and hedge fund Harbinger Capital, which is planning to build a nationwide 4G network from scratch, or upgrading its own wireless infrastructure.
T-Mobile, a unit of Germany's Deutsche Telekom, has yet to announce a formal offer and some directors at Sprint are reportedly vehemently opposed to such a deal, these people said. The company is debating whether giving T-Mobile a big stake in Clearwire would add another rival with 4G coverage.
But Sprint, which currently has the country's only 4G network, faces increased competition when Verizon launches its new network next year. The decision will ultimately depend on price and the size of investment T-Mobile would want, these people said.
In July, Sprint's chief executive Dan Hesse said it was considering a move to 4G technology, called Long Term Evolution, or LTE, that could open the road for a merger with T-Mobile.
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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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Wed Feb 08, 2012 12:31 pm | By
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Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:52 am | By
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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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