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Sprint buys Nextel
I just got an email that Sprint is paying 36 billion for Nextel. It will be called a merger, but it's really a takeover.
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I remember reading an article yesturday that they were in talks about merging....I don't know how I feel about this -- as a longtime Nextel user and sort of an anti-Sprint person....I don't know how to feel about this or how this will effect me...I wish I could learn more about this but searches online are leaving me empty handed right now....
Edit: I just got off the phone with Nextel as this is really concerning me -- I asked the person I was on the phone about it and he said "I really can't speculate but I have heard the same thing too" so I asked him what that would mean for Nextel custumers and he put me on hold. Upon returning he told me that he really doesn't know because it's just a rumor right now....so I guess all I can do is sit and wait and continue contemplating about switching to Verizon Wireless although i'm content with Nextel now.... |
I saw this on yahoos front page. I'be been with nextel for about 3 years, and before that I was with sprint through high school and most of college. I like nextel but my i730 has terrible reception, so I had considered switching back to sprint. Mainly to get some miles with United. I wonder how they plan to combine the two technologies they use into one cohesive product.
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Can they combine them? Is there a single handest now that can operate on both? I can't see them dumping one or the other there is way too much of an installed base on each.
Weird, very strange. |
Originally Posted by cordelli
Can they combine them? Is there a single handest now that can operate on both? I can't see them dumping one or the other there is way too much of an installed base on each.
Weird, very strange. |
Sprint uses SIP for PTT so its not the same at all as Nextel. However this merger will take a very long time and as any such merger won't be done til it is done. And it could even fail or get rejected by regulators, although that is highly unlikely.
So the message for customers today is to not worry about it for now. |
Bad news for Nextel users: Sprint to buy Nextel and shut it down
Sprint and Nextel are merging. Since they use entirely different technology, Sprint is planning on shutting down Nextel's operations and making people get new Sprint-compatible phones.
If/when this happens, I'll be taking my business elsewhere. I've never known Sprint to have anything but the worst possible customer service. Sprint, Nextel merger to generate a new mobile giant (by Roy Deng) Sprint and Nextel boards have approved a definitive merger deal. As expected, Nextel stockholders will receive 1.3 shares of the new business, to be called Sprint Nextel, plus about 50 cents in cash for each of their shares. The deal is expected to close during the second half of 2005. Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc., No. 3 and No. 5 U.S. cell phone companies, have joined their efforts in the mobile phone industry to create a company with 33 million customers and joined market value of about $35 billion. The merger will help Sprint get closer to the No.2 in the market Verizon Wireless with 42 million customers. The combined company could have as many as 39 million customers. The deal follows the merger between and AT&T Wireless that moved Cingular to the No.1 position in the wireless market. At the moment, 70% of the market is in the hands of three companies. The acquisition could help both companies to slash costs by merging overlapping operations. However, it could lead to some technological problems due to the incompatible wireless systems used in the companies’ networks. The deal could jeopardize the prospects of Motorola that may lose exclusive deal to supply phones and equipment to Nextel opening up new possibilities for Lucent Technologies and Nortel Networks. The merger is likely to force Nextel to abandon its iDEN technology asking customers to turn in their handsets. A lot of analysts have noted the incompatibility of the technologies used by the two companies. Sprint is likely to force former Nextel customers to use its C.D.M.A., or code division multiple access technology. http://www.financegates.com/Items/Sprint_15122004.html |
Oops.. I just saw there was another thread on this topic already that I missed.
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This is bad news if it goes through. I left Sprint a few years ago because their service (customer and wireless) was terrible, and there's no way I'm going back.
According to this article, Sprint is going to essentially shut down Nextel and force everyone to get new Sprint handsets, as the technologies they use are entirely incompatible. Total crap. http://www.financegates.com/Items/Sprint_15122004.html If it comes to that point, I'll be shopping around for a new wireless provider. I'm in a contract with Nextel, but there's no way they can force me to stick with a contract if they make me get a new phone to continue service with them. If anything like that happens, it will be class action lawsuit time. |
Originally Posted by Doppy
Oops.. I just saw there was another thread on this topic already that I missed.
FewMiles.. Moderator (Travel Technology) |
I'd heard about the "merger" and wondered what they would do with the incompatible technologies. In particular, Nextel has that unique walkie-talkie feature (which I believe is the reason many of its customers went with Nextel). It would be sad to lose that feature, even if their phones are kind of ugly.
I'm actually a fairly satisfied Sprint customer, and am eyeing the Palm OS Samsung i500 as my next upgrade. |
Ready Link
Sprint has added a new "Ready Link" technology to many of it's handsets. It's basically a replacement for the Nextel direct connect technology.
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sprint's 'ready link' service sucks.
sprint's customer service - meh, never used it plans are ok phones are ok. i was gonna switch anyways :D |
This is strange. At least AT&T and Cingular use the same technology.... . But Sprint and Nextel :confused:
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Sprints CDMA technology is definitely the orphan in the US and a total minority in the rest of the world. The logical approach for Sprint would actually convert transmission equipment (well sites anyway) in non-Nextel coverage areas to Nextel compatible technology and switch new handset sales to GSM based technology so as to phase out the CDMA network. This approach would also make the future acquisition of smaller carriers far easier.
That all said I have never had the impression that any of the major cell phone companies use any form of logic in their decision making. |
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