Sprint sale rumors again

[Angel]

AT&T just seems like way too big of a company for me, they seem like the type of company that will raise my rates if i farted.  My Bill has never gone up with T Mobile in the 11 years i've had them, the customer service has been outstanding, coverage has been great and I know all of that will be lost with ATT. 

The two things i decided to ban in my life; AT&T and visiting the state of Florida.

Why would you want a small cell phone company?  I was with Tmobile from Voicestream days up until 2007 when the first iPhone came out.  I loved Tmobile and hated to switch, but I'm pleased with AT&T's service in KC.  I know I probably wouldn't be in a city like SanFran, Chicago or New York, but their service in KC is pretty damn good...better, even, than I had with Tmobile.  I don't hit nearly as many dead spots with AT&T.  In the 4 years I've been with them, they haven't raised my rates.  Especially when I fart.    I even get my grandfathered unlimited data.  I can jailbreak my iPhone and use it as a wifi hotspot for my iPad and laptop and never worry about data usage.

[mlind]

Generally the wireless infrastructure/coverage/etc. in Europe is better than the US.  It doesn't matter who the carrier is. 

AT&T has not yet been able to get a handle on the problem since the iPhone was introduced in the SF Bay Area.  I don't know about other parts of the US. 

Interesting info about AT&T & T-Mobile and Sprint & Clearwire.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-20046884-266.html

[beautyfromashes]

AT&T has not yet been able to get a handle on the problem since the iPhone was introduced in the SF Bay Area. 

Sounds like a reason for a good ol' Bay area protest.  Not like they have anything better to do.

[mlind]

Sounds like a reason for a good ol' Bay area protest.  Not like they have anything better to do.

Maybe it could be combined with Critical Mass.

[mlind]

More re all this.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/mobile/03/ ... l?hpt=Sbin

[ignatius]

With with KCK Google announcement some analysts and bloggers are wondering if Google will buy Sprint.  The both are partnering on even more services.

Google apparently made a bid for Tmobile but ATT offered much more.  Sprint's market value is much less than half what ATT is paying for Tmob (if it goes through).  If Google wants to be a telcom company, it's highly likely they are at least talking to Sprint.

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/0 ... print.html

[FangKC]

I predict Google will buy Sprint and consolidate all former Sprint operations eventually to Wyco.

I also predict what with the new network in Wyco, and if Google buys Sprint, and with Garmin and Cerner located in the Metro, you will begin to see other small developers moving to Wyco to take advantage of the network and the low cost of living.

Software development companies major investment is hiring manpower, and they can pay people less living here than in Silicon Valley.

[ignatius]

If they buy Sprint, it would be easier to just build a line to the KCK network than to move everyone.  But if Google ends up building their own campus in KCK, perhaps it could happen eventually.

I wonder if Google really wants Sprint's debt though.

[ignatius]

Sprint is hiring the CFO from Qwest.  This guy appears to specialize in mergers.  Sprint could be getting ready to make a major move for real this time - buy, merge or be bought.  If they are bought out, hopefully it's a non-telcom company like Google as then the Sprint HQ would still likely stay here.  A cable company too would likely keep most HQ operations here.  Of course if Verzion somehow bought Sprint, it would be disastrous for KC.  I doubt the Feds would allow VZW to buy Sprint but then again most thought the Feds wouldn't allow ATT/Tmobile - maybe they won't.

http://www.bizjournals.com/mobile/kansa ... t-cfo.html

[pash]

.

[aknowledgeableperson]

But if Google ends up building their own campus in KCK, perhaps it could happen eventually.

Maybe at the dog/horse racetrack site????

[pash]

.

[bbqboy]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 1J1RSM.DTL
  print CEO Dan Hesse stopped in the Bay Area on Friday to solicit support for his campaign against the proposed mega-merger between AT&T and T-Mobile USA, a deal that would create the nation's largest wireless carrier and leave Sprint a distant third behind Verizon.

In an interview with The Chronicle on Friday, Hesse said the merger would lead to higher prices and a decrease in the kind of competition that has spawned products and services. Hesse's comments came after a speech in which he called on the Department of Justice to block the merger.

"If AT&T is allowed to swallow T-Mobile USA, competition will be stifled, growth will be stifled, and wireless innovation will be jeopardized," Hesse told an audience at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco. "We just can't let this happen.
cont.......

[earthling]

So now there's wild speculation/suggestion about Apple buying Sprint. Not very credible but I'd rather see Google buy Sprint for the sake of KC. Google already has a major KC tie with Google Fiber and would likely keep operations in KC. If Apple were somehow to buy Sprint, Apple would more likely move operations outside KC eventually I'd think. I don't have anything to support that other than a hunch. Google 'knows' KC. Apple keeps things very close knit.

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/07/31/37 ... apple.html

Two years ago Google or Apple would seem hugely unlikely but given that Google is apparently into the ISP biz, why not wireless telcom. And if Google expands their biz portfolio that drastically, Apple might have to expand too.

If Apple buys Sprint, they'll probably try to turn it into a premium service. If Google buys Sprint, they'll likely data mine the service to death and rates will be rock bottom. Which would you rather have?

If one buys Sprint, won't be surprising if the other buys TMobile.

[aknowledgeableperson]

Another KC area company going foreign?

Japan-based Softbank Corp. is seeking to buy a controlling stake in Overland Park-based Sprint Nextel Corp., according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.

The report cited a source familiar with the situation but included few specifics.

Softbank, which is Japan’s third largest wireless carrier, may be negotiating to buy all of Sprint, or two-thirds of the company, the Journal report said. Still, the Journal said the value of the transaction could exceed $12.8 billion.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/10/11/38 ... rylink=cpy

[earthling]

Could be good for stockholders but a disaster in the long run for Sprint. This guy is apparently a big risk taker with a poor track record, essentially the Japanese version of Richard Branson (Virgin label) but with not as much success.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/918241- ... urce=yahoo

If it's Clearwire they want, Sprint should just sell their stake in Clearwire, which will help fund Sprint's LTE rollout.

[KCMax]

Maybe we can get them to buy the Royals too.

[earthling]

This Son guy sounds like a loose canon...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000087 ... 43044.html

[earthling]

Looks like Sprint may be closer to a deal...
http://www.kansascity.com/2012/10/14/38 ... al-to.html

Not a bad deal for Sprint in short term but considered extremely risky for Softbank to carry that much debt - their stock tanked. The deal isn't spelled out but sounds like the structure may be to Sprint's advantage if Softbank eventually fails, at least long enough for Sprint to get back on feet. Sprint can finish LTE rollout, pay off some debt and will likely fully own Clearwire when all done.

One benefit for KC that a foreign company is investing this much into them is that the US operations in KC probably won't be impacted much, might even mean more jobs. If a US company bought Sprint, would more likely mean reduction in KC presence and all the other contracting/telcom/IT companies that are here to support Sprint. This could be good for KC unless the new leader somehow makes things worse by making future bad calls - like buying Tmobile too soon.

[knucklehead]

I hope Sprint has an exit plan, because piling huge new debt on top of the existing debt usually means huge cost cuts are on the way.

From a Reuters article:

Sprint, which has lost money in all of the last 19 quarters, has net debt of about $15 billion, while Softbank has net debt of about $10 billion. Brokers have warned that the deal could leave Softbank with "unacceptably high" gearing, a ratio of its debt to shareholder capital. Standard & Poor's has warned the deal "may undermine Softbank's financial risk profile" and would pressure its free operating cash flow for the next few years.

Reflecting those concerns, Softbank's 5-year credit default swap spreads - the cost of protecting its debt against default - widened to 267/327 basis points from around 160 basis points before the deal, and yields on its yen bonds have risen sharply.

NO CLEARWIRE OBLIGATION

Analysts have said that Softbank buying 70 percent of Sprint for $20 billion would imply the No. 3 U.S. wireless company was worth about $28.6 billion, some two-thirds greater than its market capitalization at Friday's close.