The Odds That Sprint And T-Mobile Will Merge Are Improving, Say Analysts
August 31, 2018
According to the Wall Street analysts at Macquarie Research, the odds are improving for a merger between Sprint and T-Mobile. However, the firm cautioned that the companies may be required to conditions or asset divestitures in order to obtain final regulatory approval for their transaction.
Specifically, the analysts pointed to a relative lack of opposition to the transaction among some of the biggest names in telecom, including Comcast and Verizon.
“We believe the odds of deal approval are rising and attention is now shifting to potential conditions/remedies,” the Wall Street analysts wrote in a recent note to investors. “However, the backdrop doesn’t seem to support spectrum or subscriber divestments. Charter is focused on 3.5GHz and the FCC is bringing mmWave/C-Band to market beginning in Nov. 14th. As for buildouts, T-Mobile is committed to a nationwide 5G network by ‘20 and delivering 100Mbps+ speeds to ~90% of PoPs.”
The analysts also said that the relative silence from the likes of Comcast and AT&T -- which declined to take sides on the merger, indicates that telecom market could be the scene of further M&A.
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