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T-Mobile's acquisition of MetroPCS was finalized today, but the merger will not bring the iPhone to MetroPCS customers in the near future. T-Mobile CEO John Legere, who spoke to AllThingsD, said it is possible that MetroPCS might be able to offer the iPhone at some point, but no plans are currently in the works.
As for the iPhone coming to MetroPCS, Legere said it's a possibility, but not a foregone conclusion.
"The answer to that is not 'No'," Legere said, but added, "It's not imminent; I think that's safe to say."
Though T-Mobile does not have immediate plans to offer the iPhone via MetroPCS, the company will be moving quickly to offer new MetroPCS-branded devices and transition MetroPCS customers to T-Mobile's network. Legere says that MetroPCS and T-Mobile will be "one integrated company that uses two brands to go to market."
T-Mobile first began offering the iPhone earlier this month, alongside its new contract free "Uncarrier" policy.
According to Legere, T-Mobile's iPhone sales have exceeded expectations, though he did not offer up specific sales numbers. The merger with MetroPCS brings approximately nine million new customers to the network, which could result in even greater iPhone sales if and when T-Mobile decides to offer the iPhone on MetroPCS.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)Why would they offer the iPhone on MetroPCS? It seems they are going to try to convert MetroPCS customers to T-Mobile as fast as possible to get them off the network so T-Mobile can use the spectrum for their own uses.
I think the MetroPCS branding will be eliminated so no MetroPCS iPhone.If you think Metro's customer service was bad before. You haven't seen anything yet.
If you're implying that T-Mo's customer service is worse, I disagree.
Every T-Mo CS rep I've talked to in the last 6 years have been cheerful, knowledgeable and courteous.
AT&T, on the other hand, seems to be manned by a bunch of minimum-wage-earning teenagers.
To Apple: "Please baby! Please baby! Please baby baby baby please!"
Why would they offer the iPhone on MetroPCS? It seems they are going to try to convert MetroPCS customers to T-Mobile as fast as possible to get them off the network so T-Mobile can use the spectrum for their own uses.
Exactly!
I was a MetroPCS customer and you wouldn't believe the mountain of
grief they caused me. Story at http//SwensonStudio.com/metropcs.htm
While I believe that this merger is good for the consumer in general,
it's bad for the metroPCS subscribers. I'm glad that I bailed. If it
was bad to be a Metro customer before, it's horrible now. Customers
will be jumping ship by the boat load. Exactly, what T-mobile wants!
After all they are buying the company for it band spectrum, not the
customer base. The best case would be to take their Metro phones, get
them unlocked and subscribe to goSmart Phone. I think that's the basic
game plan. A plan that's $5 cheaper, without the narrow channels that
Metro uses means a much faster 4g, and way better coverage and much
better customer support. Not too bad unless you have a phone that
can't be unlocked or you can't unlock the one you have.
Then you'll have to queue up for your GSM/HSPA handsets and throw
your old CDMA phones away. Remember the 'service and plan subject to
change' fine print. Well, it's about to kick-in. If any of you think
that T-mobile is going to slow it's race to compete with Verizon and
AT&T, I have a bridge for sale. With their 40mhz pipe, double that of
Verizon and AT&T, they have much, much more data capacity, which is
where the action is. So, They have Verizon and AT&T in their sights.
Do they have the capital and expertise to pull it off? I don't know,
but it'll be fun to watch. That means the quickest possible phase out
of Metro's CDMA net and the assimilation of it's towers, and more
importantly band spectrum, into the T-mobile net is probably their
highest priority. It would be mine.
The only question that remains is how many 100's of millions of dollars
will the top executives at Metro get as a parting gift for selling their
company. If you think Metro's customer service was bad before. You
haven't seen anything yet.