With T-Mobile’s CEO in charge of the combined company, Sprint customers could see at least some improvement. In fact, AT&T and Sprint earned our worst mark on that measure. In particular, the company earned a favorable mark for customer support-unlike the other three. Most of the major carriers haven’t fared especially well in the Consumer Reports surveys that rate providers big and small on value, reception, and customer support.Īll four have consistently trailed smaller companies like Consumer Cellular, which has topped our rankings for the past few years.īut while T-Mobile didn’t make it anywhere near the top, it did place significantly higher than the other Big Four providers for overall satisfaction. By comparison, he adds, AT&T is more dependent on low-band frequencies and Verizon on millimeter waves.įor Sprint customers, the merger could be great news, at least in terms of customer service. It can pass through walls and deliver faster speeds than low-band waves.īottom line: The “unique combination” of the three wavelengths means “T-Mobile has an inside track for genuine 5G network leadership,” Moffett says. Midband spectrum provides a happy medium.
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That means that under most circumstances, you’ll get a 5G signal only when you’re outside and free of obstructions. By contrast, millimeter waves offer superfast speeds but can’t pass through walls. While low-band spectrum can travel long distances and penetrate walls, it isn’t much faster than regular 4G service. Many experts see midband as the “Goldilocks” of 5G. While T-Mobile controls a significant amount of low-band and millimeter wave spectrum, Sprint brings coveted midband spectrum. More to the point, it will be effective coverage. Within six years, T-Mobile says, its 5G network will cover 99 percent of the U.S. But consumers will see significant benefits, too, particularly when it comes to 5G coverage. If they choose to switch carriers before the phone is purchased, they must pay off the balance immediately.įrom a business standpoint, building a 5G network is expensive and the merger will help cut costs. Those allow people to pay the phone off over a period of two years or more. T-Mobile favors traditional financing practices used by Verizon and AT&T. But in return, they had to stick with Sprint for the duration of the lease. Deals like those offered consumers the latest in smartphone technology, usually at a subsidized rate. Moffett expects T-Mobile to quickly move away from Sprint’s signature 18-month leases, as well. The most bare-bones unlimited talk, text, and data plans offered by Sprint and T-Mobile currently start around $65 for one phone. In a note to investors that he shared with Consumer Reports, Craig Moffett, a senior research analyst and founding partner of the research firm MoffettNathanson, says T-Mobile is likely to shift Sprint’s customers (once noted for being cost-conscious) to its lower-priced plans-though not right away. T-Mobile and Sprint currently offer about a half-dozen unlimited data plans. At the moment, Sprint offers 5G service only in its two most expensive unlimited plans.īut it’s unclear how the combined company plans to structure its service offerings. It says it won’t charge extra for 5G connectivity, either. Here’s a quick look at what could happen.Īs part of the agreement with federal regulators, T-Mobile has promised to freeze prices for the next three years. How will the merger affect things such as prices, 5G development, and customer service? Under the terms of the agreement, the company will keep the T-Mobile name and be led by T-Mobile’s new CEO, Mike Sievert, who takes the place of John Legere, the company’s colorful leader since 2012.Īlluding to the coronavirus pandemic in a statement, Sievert said that during this “extraordinary time,” it has become clear how important strong and reliable networks are, adding that the nationwide 5G network the company has promised to build is “mission-critical for consumers.” With the deal completed, the united company ranks a distant third behind its rivals in terms of number of customers. "But there is little that can be done now to change a wireless marketplace that will have less competition and more power in the hands of a few giant corporations.” “We’ll be watching closely as it unfolds,” said George Slover, senior policy counsel for CR. Consumer Reports had opposed the deal, too.