Last month, the regulators at the Department of Justice agreed to let the T-Mobile/Sprint deal go through after the companies agreed to sell off pieces to Dish. Although sixteen states are now suing to stop the merger, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai formally recommended the merger for approval. Regardless of the dispute, it appears that the merger WILL happen. I’m of the opinion that the move will be finalized this fall BEFORE the election. Assuming I’m right, here’s what we can expect:
- Dish will have to act fast to pounce on their opportunity and start building a 5G network. They do not have the framework in place or the people to build it, so we are very likely to see a major spike in hiring from Dish.
- With much to prove, the newly formed Sprint/T-Mobile merged entity will move even more quickly than Dish to build out their 5G network. They will do their best to silence doubters by swiftly building infrastructure and loudly promoting their progress every step of the way.
- Verizon and AT&T are going to feel the heat and work harder to launch 5G in additional markets. AT&T has already launched 5G in over a dozen markets and Verizon announced the launch of 5G in several US cities.
So what can we really expect from this merger? We can expect a faster move toward 5G in the United States for all parties. 5G is coming VERY soon.
If you’d like to discuss 5G or any of your business communication needs, contact P2 Communications Management at sales@p2cm.com or 703-939-8240.