T-Mobile's acquisition of UScellular assets is now one step closer to taking place
Back in May 2024, T-Mobile agreed to pay $2.4 billion in cash and assume $2 billion of UScellular debt to acquire wireless customers, retail stores, and 30% of the spectrum assets owned by the nation's fifth-largest wireless carrier. That spectrum includes airwaves in the 600 MHz, 700 MHz A Block, PCS, AWS, 2.5 GHz, and 24 GHz (mmWave) frequencies.
T-Mobile is a step closer to acquiring UScellular assets after obtaining DOJ approval for the deal. | Image credit-UScellular That haul includes key frequencies used by T-Mobile, such as the 2.5 GHz mid-band airwaves employed for its Ultra Capacity 5G service, the 600 MHz low-band spectrum used for the carrier's Extended Range 5G service, and the 24 GHz high-band spectrum used for its rarely found mmWave service. Heck, T-Mobile might have entered into this deal specifically to pick up these airwaves. Remember, the carrier paid $26 billion to buy Sprint just for its rival's hoard of 2.5GHz mid-band spectrum, which has helped T-Mobile become the 5G leader in the U.S.
Even though the DOJ is letting the transaction go through, it did express some concern about competition in wireless and whether there is enough spectrum available to generate competition. The Justice Department also said in its press release that during the investigation, it considered what U.S. wireless customers would have to deal with if UScellular left the market, what benefits consumers might get from allowing the deal to close, and what the result might be from further consolidation in spectrum holdings.
The DOJ also investigated what might happen to UScellular subscribers if the carrier survived as an ongoing firm. The Justice Department determined that, should the DOJ block the deal, UScellular "could not keep up with the escalating cost of capital investments in technology required to compete vigorously in the relevant market. This would, in turn, lead to the slow degradation of its network quality."
The DOJ compared this outcome with comments made by T-Mobile , saying that it will combine the two networks so that UScellular customers will experience faster data speeds after the transaction closes. At the same time, T-Mobile customers will get better service in rural markets. It's a win-win for all.
-U.S. Department of Justice The DOJ also noted that this is "a pivotal moment for the wireless industry." After years of consolidation in the wireless industry thanks to acquisitions, the Big 3 account for more than 90 percent of the roughly 335 million mobile subscriptions in the U.S. Whether this is a positive or negative statistic won't be known until sometime in the future. In 2019, when T-Mobile acquired Sprint, the DOJ feared that the merger would allow the remaining big three (AT&T, T-Mobile , and Verizon) to harm consumers through coordination, leading to "higher prices, reduced innovation, reduced quality, and fewer choices."
The T-Mobile -Sprint deal also resulted in less competition to sell wireless service wholesale to MVNOs. T-Mobile and Sprint had been battling for this business. With the acquisition, that competition was gone.
The Big 3 also controls 80% of the mobile wireless spectrum used in the U.S. The DOJ writes, "It is of concern to the United States that continued spectrum aggregation by the Big 3 threatens to impede the path for a fourth national player to emerge and challenge the entrenched incumbents with new and innovative offerings. Where future spectrum consolidation transactions threaten this path, the Antitrust Division stands ready to investigate and, if warranted by the facts and evidence, use its enforcement power to protect competition and American consumers."
With this lukewarm approval, all that is needed is for the FCC to approve the deal, and the transaction will be ready to close.
Secure your connection now at a bargain price!
We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Phone Arena
an hour ago
- Phone Arena
iPhone 17 projected to tank in value faster than Galaxy S26
Galaxy S25 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max | Image Credits - PhoneArena For the longest time, Apple's iPhone was the top smartphone for value retention. While the iPhone 16 is still depreciating at a slower rate than the Galaxy S25, the gap has been narrowing, and if the current trend continues, the Galaxy S26 might outdo the iPhone 17 in holding start losing value the moment you unbox them. While this may not matter to you if you keep the same phone for three and a half years - which is the average upgrade cycle - or more, it's something to take into account if you care about resale value. The iPhone had traditionally held its value better than Android phones, but SellCell's latest report shows that the depreciation rate has been increasing with each successive generation. As an example, the 2020 iPhone 12 series had lost 25.2% of its value nine months after its release. The iPhone 15 had depreciated by 34.3% within the first nine months. For the iPhone 16 , that figure stands at around 34.7%. iPhone vs Galaxy S vs Galaxy Z Fold vs Pixel depreciation over the years. | Image Credit - SellCell The reverse appears to be true for Samsung Galaxy S series phones, with the recent generations getting better at resisting depreciation. In its fifth month, the Galaxy S22 had lost a staggering 51.9% of its value. During the same period, the Galaxy S24 had plunged in value by 47.3%. The Galaxy S25 faced a depreciation of 46.6 percent in its first five months. It's not just the Galaxy S25 that's depreciating at a slower rate than its predecessors. The same appears to be true for Samsung's foldable phones as well as the Google Pixel 9. It appears that Samsung and Google's latest phones are depreciating at a slower rate due their compelling AI features. Apple, on the other hand, is behind in AI, which might explain why the iPhone 16 is losing value at a faster clip than prior generations. Regardless, the iPhone 16 is still ahead of the pack when it comes to depreciation. It had lost 35.4% of its value five months after it went on sale, compared to Galaxy S25 's depreciation rate of 46.6% and Pixel 9 's rate of 56.9%. That said, if the current trend persists, by mid-2026, the Galaxy S and the iPhone may lose value at a similar rate, with Samsung's lineup potentially surpassing Apple's smartphones in value retention between mid-2026 and 2028. The Galaxy S26 might hold its value better than the iPhone 17 if things keep heading in the same direction. | Image Credit - SellCel Of course, the rumored iPhone 17 might flip the trend on its head with its redesigned rear and triple 48MP camera system. The phone is unlikely to be markedly superior to the Galaxy S26 , though, which could feature AI tools from OpenAI and Perplexity AI to supplement those already offered by Google's Gemini. Based on that, it's safe to assume that in the not-so-distant future, the Galaxy S, and not the iPhone, will command the highest price in the second-hand market. When you switch to Total Wireless, keep your number & grab 3 mo. of 5G We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Phone Arena
2 hours ago
- Phone Arena
I've never been less excited for a new iPhone
To me, the iPhone 17 generation is devoid of any speck of hype; there's no potential feature that excites me or fills me up with desire to hold my breath for this September. Sadly, that's nothing new with Apple, as Cupertino has pretty much lost the spark that stirred up interest in its devices. It's all formulaic and uninspiring, and anyone well-verse with iPhones knows what to expect way ahead of time, as Apple has been extremely predictable in its releases in the past few years. To be completely honest with you, I actually haven't been hyped about any new iPhone model since the iPhone 13 Pro Max generation. The only reason back then was the 120Hz screen on the Pro models, as well as the rumored great battery life (which turned out to be great indeed). Previously, the iPhone 11 Pro series stood out, as it was the first to come with a triple-camera setup (and I absolutely loved that at the time). However, in the past few years, the only new iPhone feature I have felt drawn to was the most trivial of them all: the USB-C port that was mandated by the good ol' EU. Still, not exactly something that could get you hyped about an iPhone. The iPhone 17 will score some new features, but none of them will be groundbreaking in any way, at least I don't expect them to be. The Pro models will score slightly better and more capable cameras, which should have been done years ago. They will also score a much faster chip, which is a "meh" upgrade these days: Apple's mobile chips already have higher performance potential than what most people have use for. Same old design, potentially with a downgrade to aluminum. The rumored new copper-like color looks cool, though. The base model will be pretty much the sixth remix of the iPhone 12, with little changes to the overall formula. Oh, pardon me, the iPhone 17 is likely scoring 120Hz ProMotion (or some gimped version of it as Apple won't give away the "ProMotion" name that willy-nilly). It has been embarrassing for Apple to have its base iPhones stuck on a 60Hz refresh rate until now and gatekeep smoother refresh rates as if they're something only Pro users will appreciate. The iPhone 17 Air? I'm sorry, I can't get excited about a phone with a sub-3,000 mAh battery and a single camera. I'd rather use a heavy and ridiculous Android phone with all the bells and whistles rather than a thin and Bendgate-prone iPhone. Design no longer cuts it for me. But the real reason why I and possibly many other people fail to get excited about the iPhone 17 generation is the foldable iPhone, a device that has been rumored for years now and is reportedly coming next year, if the stars align. As someone who has been bitten by the foldable bug, that's the phone that excites me, that's the device I want to see, touch, and use. Enough with these generic iPhones! I want to see how Apple will approach the last device category it's yet to wet its feet in. I want to witness some innovation spurred by the unique design challenges of foldables, and witness at least trace amounts of Steve Jobs and Jony Ive's genius one last time. I simply want to get excited about an iPhone again, and it appears that the only one that could do that for me is the foldable one, whenever it may come.
Phone Arena
3 hours ago
- Phone Arena
All-new Galaxy Watch 8 is definitely worth checking out after Samsung & Amazon's latest offers
If you're a Samsung fan looking for a new smartwatch and aren't into extreme stuff like rock climbing, mountain biking, and so on, chances are you're eyeing either the Galaxy Watch 8 or the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic — Samsung's latest and greatest smartwatches for non-outdoor aficionados. While the Classic model definitely looks fancy, you probably lean more towards the regular variant, especially if you want to spend as little as possible and don't go on gala evenings or business meetings all that often. And if the Galaxy Watch 8 is on your radar, now is a great time to act fast and get one on Trade-in $149 99 $349 99 $200 off (57%) Trade in an eligible device to save up to $200 on the Galaxy Watch 8. Bundle it with a pair of Galaxy Buds to save on the add-on as well. In case you don't have a device to trade, you can still save $50, which goes as an extra discount toward the Galaxy Buds. Act fast and save while you can! Buy at Samsung Gift While the Galaxy Watch 8 isn't discounted on Amazon, you can score a $50 promotional credit with your purchase by redeeming promo code APSUE5MBXB6Y. You can use the $50 credit to get something else on the platform for free. Buy at Amazon By trading in an eligible device, you can shave up to a whopping $200 off this bad boy's price. You can also bundle it with a pair of Galaxy Buds 3 or Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and score a sweet discount on the earphones as well. But even if you don't have a device to trade, you can still score $50 in the form of Samsung Instant Credit, which translates to the earbuds, lowering their price even further. So, we'd say this deal is perfect if you want to upgrade your wrist game and your listening experience for less. Alternatively, you can get a Galaxy Watch 8 on Amazon, where you can claim a $50 promotional credit to use toward something else on the platform. So while the watch isn't discounted, you can still score some savings by getting it from deal you choose, we don't believe you'll have any buyer's remorse. We reviewed Samsung's latest timepiece, and we must say we were quite pleased by how sleek it looks and how lightweight and slim it feels. Of course, it's more than just a pretty face, as it's loaded with features and boasts all the functionalities you'd expect from a wearable like this. An interesting feature is the new vascular load tracking, which allows the watch to monitor the pressure your arteries are experiencing over time. There's also a new running coach functionality, which turns your Galaxy Watch 8 into exactly that — a coach that builds a plan to help you reach your running goals. On top of that, you also get all the standard bells and whistles Wear OS offers, including fast and easy access to the Google Play Store, where you can download third-party apps. All in all, the Galaxy Watch 8 is definitely worth getting. In fact, its only downside is probably the fact that it delivers just a day to a day and a half of battery life. Still, that's completely normal for a smartwatch like this, and we believe it's something you can get used to, especially since the pros outweigh the cons. So, if it checks all the right boxes for you, too, act fast and save while you can!
