Boston, MA 02/07/2014 (wallstreetpr) – T-Mobile US Inc (NYSE:TMUS) shares fell as much as 6.93 percent ($2.20) to $29.55 Thursday as various reports downplayed a possible deal between the company and its current rival Sprint Corporation (NYSE:S). In fact, even Sprint was not spared; the stock rallied south 7.29 percent (62 cents) to $7.88 in Thursday’s session.
Since last year, there have been chatters about possible joining of forces between T-Mobile which is the number four wireless operator in the U.S. and Sprint which is the number three wireless operator in the market. The idea of merging the company seem to hinge of the fact that the two top operators, Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and AT&T Inc (NYSE:T), control at least 75 percent of the wireless communication market, leaving Sprint, T-Mobile and other operators to share the remaining 25 percent.
Thus, in the thinking of owners of Sprint and T-Mobile US Inc (NYSE:TMUS), it would be better to counter that competition by reducing the number of top players in the nation’s wireless market to just three from the present four. However, such a deal now seems to be a hard sell before the regulators.
Rejected merger deal
Note that sometime back, AT&T Inc (NYSE:T) attempted to buy T-Mobile US Inc (NYSE:TMUS) but regulators could here none of it, and the deal flopped. In fact, it is reported that Sprint, which is owned by SoftBank Corp in a majority 80 percent stake, played a hard to have marriage between T and T-Mobile rejected, citing that competition would be hurt in the process. But now the shoe is on the other feet and Sprint can sing a different song.
Regulatory headache
There have been several talks between Sprint Corporation (NYSE:S) owners and T-Mobile US Inc (NYSE:TMUS) owners Deutsche Telekom about the proposed merger, sometime one party seeking to meet the regulators. But over the past weeks and this week, hopes seem to be dwindling around the deal. Industry experts say that having regulators to give a nod to such move was very much unlikely, almost impossible, more considering that maintain four top operators has been a perfect equation for Washington.
