Sprint proves money can solve problems, buys iPCS to settle litigation
By Darren Murph 
posted October 19th 2009 1:48PM
posted October 19th 2009 1:48PM
Considering Sprint's financial position and the overall credit market, we're not exactly sure where the carrier managed to pick up $831 million, which it promptly used to acquire affiliate iPCS and take on $405 million of net debt. If you'll recall, the aforesaid youngin' was worrying papa way back in May of 2008, and it seems that Sprint has finally had enough of this whole "litigation" thing. The acquisition puts all of the court battling to rest (or at least it's expected to), enabling the operator to stop divesting its iDEN network in select iPCS markets. Money may not buy happiness, but it sure buys a good muzzle.[Via Reuters]
This is good news, I'm in an iPCS area and they were really late to teh game with EVDO deployment...and there is still plenty of area that needs it.
Yep- and it should also allow for additional Wimax markets to be launched as iPCS was trying to use the courts to block Sprint from operating Wimax networks in their territory as well.
Correct. Also this allows Sprint to open B&M corporate stores in these areas. Sometimes those third-party guys just can't get things done as well as a shop connected to the mothership. Happt to see this, should be considered a real plus for everyone involved.
I don't get Sprint. The only time they seem to do something it is to make themselves more attractive for a take over but who can even do that with all the FCC regulations. I'd be happy to have Verizon take them over but I don't think that is going to happen any time soon.
Instead of making themselves more money by selling better phones such as the TG01 or HD2 they do anything they can to make themselves a better candidate for purchase. The absurd levels of customers leaving doesn't seem to phase them.
I wish Sprint would have a site on their website where they survey clients on what phones they want (that they don't currently carry) and that they'd have a real beta program so that people who actually use phones test them in advance so when they release them to business customers they don't have the obvious bugs that they often do with their HTC mobile phones even though we get the phones 6 months to a year after they've already been on the market in Europe and the GSM versions don't have those same issues. The problem isn't CDMA the problem is Sprint's lack of effort with their business customers.
I stopped reading at Verizon take over sprint....right lets have one super CDMA carrier decide how all CDMA phones should be made for the US....
I don't get this post.
If anything, Sprint has been doing some serious trailblazing in the past couple years. Their phone selection is just fine, and its getting better and better.
Sprint Premier, Any Mobile Anytime, cheapest plans in town, etc. etc.
Time to put down the treo and move on with your life.
/ in before SERO bitching.
I don't understand some peoples mentality seriously. Verizon is big enough and you want them to get bigger and have absolute control over everything CDMA by purchasing Sprint great idea. That sprint all you can eat 69.99 will go right out the window faster than sprints 4G network.
I hear the same thing from people saying i wish at&t would buy t-mobile than we would have great service or vice versa. its like don't you think at&t is really big already and buying the only other major GSM network would make for anti competitive pricing.
if every carrier had about 50 million subs than we would have the best prices because it would be a 4 way competition to who could get more customers, but with at&t/verizon both getting closer and closer to 100 millions subs and sprint losing customers left and right and tmobile staying in the same place than it will make at&t/verizons pricing even more expensive.
If Verizon buys Sprint, I'm moving to MetroPCS, kthxbai.
Ahh, Metro PCS. It was awesome when I was living in the bay area. But I had to drop it when I was moving out.
Good thing that I got the SERO plan. Now I just have to get rid of this crappy Moto Q.
@sisyphus- ya I stuck with sprint through the tough times. There were many times I wanted to bail, especially when other carriers were getting the nice phones. But now it's great, my only problem is to choose from getting the Pre or Hero.
The power of money, such a beautiful thing. Alright Sprint now that you managed to buy this small little company, try buying something else. Like Verizon.
I know they can't buy Verizon, but if they came up with money for this company, how much more can they really come up with?
Expect the pink slips to start flying once this acquisition is complete.
Sprint's so pitiful that they have to buy customers.
Verizon bought WAY more customers when the gobbled up alltel!
Yea, but Verizon is doing good.
Sprint on the other hand is losing customers left and right and has been in financial for a while now.
P.S. I'm a Sprint customer, so please don't bash me. I'm just waiting for them to go bankrupt.
It has nothing to do with buying customers. It primarily is to remove the lawsuit forcing Sprint to stop running the Nextel iDEN network in the area. Without the purchase Sprint would have to divest all iDEN assets in iPCS territory by January 25th I think it was?
I'm sure Dan Hesse got it all freshly calculated =D.
These are always interesting acquisitions. Can you imagine working for a company that was previously suing your new employer? Start putting in job apps somewhere else.
That being said, that company was an a**.
how the fuck does that 'financial position' link have anything to do with this? its a MAY 2008 article. just because they dont sell the precious iphone does not mean you have to bash them into oblivion.
Pre sales still going well? :thumbsup:
If you can't beat them, buy them.
Then fire everyone who had anything to do with suing your ass!