Sprint and Nextel sign merger deal

There's still a lot of things that could snooker this deal (like, uh, Verizon), but this morning Sprint and Nextel publicly announced the details of their "merger of equals" and that each company's board of directors had approved the deal. Shareholders from each company will own about 50% of the new mega-carrier, which as we well know, is going to be called "Sprint Nextel", at least until they pay some naming consultants millions of dollars to come up with a crappy new name.

[Johnny P @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

I think they should call it Sextel. Sprint Nextel just doesn't sound right.

[Asher @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

Well, that ends my desire to be a Sprint customer. Anyone got a suggestion for a new plan? Need: free long distance, no roaming, 2k minutes a month, 2 lines, unlimited nights/weekends, unlimited in network calls all at $100/month.

[TheZodiac @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

I hate this idea, though it dosnt effect me personally.

Verizon should own sprint, since they are 'like' networks. integrating iDen (and WiDen, for that matter) wth CDMA is going to produce a phone ( if thats the route they are going to go) thats bloated, and has to switch networks to make it effective.

Unless:

They exist under one umbrella, but operate seperately.

The only real attraction of Nextel if the PTT service.... and Sptint already has there own thats not compatible. This merger is ridiculous.

Verizon needs to step in and snap Sprint up - and Tmo need to make a deal with someone... Since Nextels trials of their "G4" (trials in the Carolina's to date) network uses WiFi as an aditional technology for their PTT (and TMOBILE having the LARGEST WiFi network in the US and abroad) it only makes that this synergy would prove more effective for all 4 companies.

[fabienne @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

asher: voip phone (or laptop that can serve up some dhcp'ed net from wifi and power supply for voip box), wifi sniffer. 'nuf said. or move to france. all cell plans have free incoming and most are govt subsidized. my minutes to call the states from france are cheaper than minutes in the states to call the states!

[Dave @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

Forget this nonsense, it's a GSM world.

[Vince Veneziani @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

ANTI TRUST GAHAHGAHGAHAAAHA NOOOOOOOOOO.

This is going to be the crappiest company ever. They will cell the Nokia FECES model.

Ughhhh. T-Mobile better stay afloat in 5 years. I love my Provider damnit.

[Hmmm @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

I see from postings 1 through 3 the idiots are still around posting things they don't know anything about. Like I posted before and I will post again "Don't talk crap unless you really know what you are talking about. Research a company before you put it down. Don't rate a company just because you have heard something about it from another post or heard it from someone else that doesn't know crap about it also and don't rate a company just because another one has given you a contact and the other one didn't. Research the company idiot�s research!!! Unless your brain only works when you sit on your rear end.

[Asher @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

To: Hmmm
In my general location I do not need to do much research than sitting at a table with 3 Nextel users and myself, a Sprint user. During a normal conversation, I've watched their signals come and go constantly while mine remained solid. I've enjoyed my coverage and customer service with Sprint for many years without any trouble. While I've watched all three of those friends switch off Nextel in the last 2 years. Researching the transmission rate of the potentially best case scenario has nothing to do with first hand accounts. In my area, Nextel has been worthless for a majority of my friends, family and coworkers.

[PoorLilRichBoy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

The majority of Sprint's LARGE customer base are consumers (high numbers of customes, low profitability per customer) whiel the majority of Nextel's SMALLER customer base are business' (low numbers of customers, high profitablily per customer). Furthermore, both have some of the most LOYAL customers in the biz. So thats what makes the merger complimentary, not the technology.

Technologically, IMO they will most like have to move to Sprint's CDMA over the long run, they have the most customers and they have PTT.

[Fine James @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

Will Paris Hilton use the new service?

[Alan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

I think they should call the merged company SprintTel!!

As long as the Sprint network doesn't suffer, I am probably one of the few looking forward to this. I'm hoping I can use the readylink Sprint technology with Nextel walkie-talkie service/network. But I'm probably alone on this idea.

[Jon @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

not untill they support the sidekick

[Alex @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

I think they should call it ... "sprintel"..
Also, I am not a bit surprised that Nextel decided to cheep out and not pay to upgrade its ancient network. Who in the world still operates on 800-MHz? Also, this is really not a synergy! Nextel will have a heck of a time switching from its ancient systems to CDMA. Finally, are the merged company's really going to get more cell tower coverage? Or a crowded and crashing network?
Verizon should step in and squeeze out Nextel.

[Mike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

PTT the only selling point? Bah! Try the fact that it is still the ONLY carrier that has a full gps reciever with NMEA out in its cell phones. For 20 bucks or less you get a great gps unit that works with laptop & pda software and it makes phone calls to boot! You can keep your ptt, and your other toys, just don't take away the GPS .

[JON C @ Dec 19th 2005 12:08AM]

i think that this would b a wonderful mege and i cannot wait until it happens. I cant wait to Chirp nextel users at tha push of a button and i cant wait for sprints gay ass sound they use for chirpin to finaaly cease