T-Mobile Announces UScellular Acquisition, Promises Improved Connectivity in Rural Areas

T-Mobile today announced plans to purchase UScellular's wireless operations for $4.4 billion, a deal that includes UScellular's wireless customers, stores, and select cellular spectrum.

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According to T-Mobile, the purchase will provide millions of UScellular customers access to the T-Mobile network, improving connectivity in underserved rural areas. T-Mobile also plans to use the spectrum and wireless assets from UScellular to expand its home broadband offerings.

T-Mobile's press release suggests that wireless customers across the United States will "benefit from enhanced choice and competition," wording aimed at the federal regulators who will need to approve the deal. UScellular will retain ownership of some of its spectrum and its towers, with T-Mobile planning to lease space on approximately 2,000 towers.

UScellular customers will have the option to stay on their existing plans or move to an unlimited T-Mobile plan with no switching costs.

T-Mobile has previously acquired MetroPCS and Sprint, with the latter merger occurring in 2020 after it was previously called off in 2014. U.S. regulators have been concerned with the lack of a fourth major carrier in the United States and could be hesitant to approve yet another T-Mobile purchase.

T-Mobile says that the deal should close in mid-2025.

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Top Rated Comments

ssspinball Avatar
17 months ago
Would love to hear T-Mobile explain how removing a competitor results in “enhanced choice and competition”.

Don’t piss on our heads and tell us it’s raining!
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Morod Avatar
17 months ago
Consolidation is never good for consumers, IMO.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
17 months ago
I no longer trust T-Mobile about anything
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dampfnudel Avatar
17 months ago

Consolidation is never good for consumers, IMO.
As a T-Mobile One subscriber, I learned that last week. If you learned that as a T-Mobile subscriber too, let the FCC know that they broke their un-contract promise that only you can change the price. They still have that 2017 press release on their website.

https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us/articles/360001201223-Phone-Form-Descriptions-of-Complaint-Issues
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SierraVista Avatar
17 months ago
And there goes the last “big” regional carrier.

I’m old enough to remember when Sprint ruined the Nextel iDEN network (imagine an iDEN iPhone with a PTT button!). Consolidation is not a good thing.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Viridian5 Avatar
17 months ago
Price increase for many last week, acquisition this week. But what’s the thing they tell all us regular people? “Don’t buy it if you can’t afford it”. ?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)