Sprint and Nextel chatting about a merger

We would have predicted a merger with Verizon Wireless, since they both have compatible networks, before we would have predicted this, but the New York Times is reporting that Sprint is talking to Nextel about a possible merger (scarily enough, even if they did merge they would still be smaller than both Cingular and Verizon). The talks apparently aren't very far along, and might not go anywhere, but there's already some speculation that Verizon might want to get in on the action, too, so this all might just be a feint by Sprint to try and get Verizon interested in acquiring them. It's all starting to seem a little Melrose Place, so don't be surprised to wake up one day and discover that everyone's gone and gotten hitched to each other and you basically only have two choices for cellualr service: Cingular, which will have gobbled up AT&T Wireless and T-Mobile, and Verizon, which will have absorbed Sprint and Nextel. And that'd probably be it, because even today's merger friendly FCC and FTC probably wouldn't let the last two major wireless carriers hook up.