T-Mobile Buys Itself A Lifeline

    When AT&T tried to buy T-Mobile, the outcome was hotly desired by both companies: AT&T wanted spectrum, and T-Mobile, the smallest major carrier, wanted to avoid death. T-Mobile's acquisition of MetroPCS and its nearly 10 million customers is a nice bit of assurance that we'll have a fourth major carrier for a while longer. One potential speed bump: T-Mobile and MetroPCS use different networking technologies, but it might not matter too much.

    Matt Buchanan
    by Matt Buchanan

    BuzzFeed Staff

    T-Mobile Buys Itself A Lifeline

    dealbook.nytimes.com

    When AT&T tried to buy T-Mobile, the outcome was hotly desired by both companies: AT&T wanted spectrum, and T-Mobile, the smallest major carrier, wanted to avoid death. T-Mobile's acquisition of MetroPCS and its nearly 10 million customers is a nice bit of assurance that we'll have a fourth major carrier for a while longer. One potential speed bump: T-Mobile and MetroPCS use different networking technologies, but it might not matter too much.