Is there more consolidation ahead in the U.S. wireless industry?
A report by the Wall Street Journal this afternoon, citing unnamed sources, says Sprint is studying the possibility of a bid for T-Mobile US, the Bellevue-based wireless carrier that has been making inroads against its larger rivals and adding millions of customers in recent quarters.
Such a deal would combine the nation’s No. 3 and 4 carriers, and serve as a test for regulators as they attempt to maintain competition in the industry. AT&T, the No. 2 carrier in the country, was previously rebuffed by the U.S. Justice Department in its attempt to acquire T-Mobile for $39 billion.
The WSJ estimates a possible Sprint/T-Mobile combination to be worth more than $20 billion, depending on the side of the stake involved. Deutsche Telekom is the majority owner of T-Mobile US.
We’ve contacted T-Mobile seeking comment, and will update this post depending on what we hear.
