Article: Sprint Sues AT&T Over T-Mobile Merger

[Phillip Swanson]

First the DOJ leveed an antitrust suit against AT&T in regards to the company's attempt to purchase T-Mobile. Then the FCC came out and said "Yea, we can support that lawsuit." Now Sprint is throwing the last stone at an already shattered house, piling on, performing an excessive touchdown celebration on AT&T's shattered dreams, with their latest suit against the proposed acquisition.

In the suit Sprint claims AT&T and Verizon, as "Twin Bells", were able to use their size and market share to secure "market advantage with the iPhone, and have been able to lock many customers into two year contracts with the iconic device." Sprints inability to cary the phone, even unlocked iPhones, caused a great deal of defection from the ranks of Sprint's customer base.

If Sprint does start selling the iPhone, arguing that the AT&T T-Mobile deal shouldn't happen because they aren't able to sell the iPhone does look a little silly. There is little doubt that not having the iPhone on T-Mobile or Sprint's networks has hurt both companies, but given the current rumor outlook it doesn't seem like a very smart argument. Arguing in favor of consumer rights and against AT&T monopolizing the telecom department seems a little safer.

Whether or not Sprint gets the iPhone will be made painfully apparent in a few weeks. Same goes for T-Mobile. If both carriers do in fact start carrying the "iconic" device as Sprint referred to it in their legal filings, it will be interesting to see how their customer base, and other potential cellular phone customers respond. Will Sprint finally be able to stop hemorrhaging customers?

Source: Apple Insider

[Colby21]

Hooray sprint! Down with ATT!

[Darkflame]

I think they should just make it flat out illegal to prevent a carrier from activating a third party device on their network.

Sprint has no right to gripe that they could not activate unlocked iphones. All they needed to do was allow the foreign ESN into their system and be done with it.

I am a sprint customer and love sprint. I am excited to think they will finally received the jesusphone but c'mon sprint. Stop crying foul on something you had complete control over.

[Vandale]

if thats the iPhone 5........ I will jizz my pants.

[eddiel2003]

if thats the iPhone 5........ I will jizz my pants.

nah i think sprint will get the iPhone 1

[PathKiller29]

something about those iPhone images seem different... and its not the Sprint logo

[Paco]

No iPhone for tmobile awww

[iRepairIndy]

In the suit Sprint claims AT&T and Verizon, as "Twin Bells", were able to use their size and market share to secure "market advantage with the iPhone, and have been able to lock many customers into two year contracts with the iconic device." Sprints inability to cary the phone, even unlocked iPhones, caused a great deal of defection from the ranks of Sprint's customer base.

Isn't this Apple's fault?

[GTRagnarok]

Where did that picture come from? Both cameras look different compared to the iPhone 4. The back one is tiny. The buttons look much slimmer. I don't see any separations in the antenna band. And there seems to be a volume rocker.

[iPod]

Lol for once, apple's not doing the suing.

[wraitherlx]

hopefully tmobile gets it as well. Even if they do I will wait to see how the plan prices go. Anyone else notice the 64gb on the back of that iphone? Not saying that it is the next iphone but I kind of like it. Its got a kind of matte finish to it.

[darkcrave]

Wait didn't apple go around and ask every carrier to make a deal before the first one was released and all the companies but ATT didnt laugh at Apple and agreed to the terms.?

[Mes]

Wait didn't apple go around and ask every carrier to make a deal before the first one was released and all the companies but ATT didnt laugh at Apple and agreed to the terms.?

True That was before Apple knew they had a hit product and really didn't need carrier subsidy from AT&T

[darkcrave]

thats right but you cannot really feel bad about it now, I mean remember the apple website displaying the iphone months before its release, they were getting overload traffic because people just wanted to stare at the iphone and tell other about it.

i mean that should have been a hint, if these carriers knew how the end product was and how the community was going to react with it like att did, then its solely their fault.

Even verizon faced facts before the iphone 4 launch.

[Cer0]

Sprint is just joining in cause it is hurt that AT&T snagged their deal. Sprint wanted to buy T-Mobile.

If the deal falls then expect T-Mobile U.S. to fall since it's parent company wants nothing to do with it anymore and has not set any future plans for it.

[darkcrave]

but when they say 'Iconic" it really says otherwise dont you agree?

[ShredNasty]

I bet they did sue. What choice do they have? They have crap devices and a customer base made almost entirely of people with wrecked credit. Problem, Sprint? Besides, they'll be lucky if they don't end up property of VZW within the next 5 years or so...

[alexevo]

So let me get this straight...MetroPCS will activate a CDMA iphone no questions asked but Sprint refuses to so now they're suing AT&T(obviously we all know they're a GSM carrier)? Yeah that makes a lot of sense.

I bet they did sue. What choice do they have? They have crap devices and a customer base made almost entirely of people with wrecked credit. Problem, Sprint? Besides, they'll be lucky if they don't end up property of VZW within the next 5 years or so...

Notgonnahappen. The #1 carrier getting approved to buy the #4(only by a small margin) carrier but the #2 carrier isn't allowed to buy the #3 carrier? AT&T would go apeshit and then sue or vice versa but both are likely to occur.

[Mrteacup]

Idk I think it's dumb that the government won't let them buy it cause really it's a buisness choice I understand that they don't want a dominance I mean really lets not be Nazis.maybe if they werent in so much debt io would respect there opinion more...

[mkvelidadon]

So let me get this straight...MetroPCS will activate a CDMA iphone no questions asked but Sprint refuses to so now they're suing AT&T(obviously we all know they're a GSM carrier)? Yeah that makes a lot of sense.



Notgonnahappen. The #1 carrier getting approved to buy the #4(only by a small margin) carrier but the #2 carrier isn't allowed to buy the #3 carrier? AT&T would go apeshit and then sue or vice versa but both are likely to occur.

LOL. Spring is mad they don't have the iPhone. Oh well, I guess all those commercials they made, including Verizon, talking down upon the iPhone and AT&T is now a certified FAIL. Hell, even T-Mobile did the same. I don't get why they bash something, but later obsess themselves with it.