metro

No new terms for T-Mobile-MetroPCS merger, Deutsche Telekom says

Looks like there won't be any sweetened deal terms for the T-Mobile/MetroPCS merger, as much as MetroPCS shareholders may wish.

Deutsche Telekom, speaking with FierceWireless, refuted a Reuters report from earlier today that it was considering changing the terms of the merger agreement reached in October.

"We are not considering changing the terms of the proposed merger," DT spokesman Philipp Kornstaedt told FierceWireless.

The company later gave CNET this statement:

In response to a variety of published rumors and reports, Deutsche Telekom clarifies that it has no comment as to possible changes to the terms of … Read more

FCC refuses to state the obvious: Mobile market is competitive

Late last month, the FCC issued its 16th Mobile Competition Report, a 400-page document that analyzes in detail the competitive landscape for mobile carriers and the ecosystem that surrounds them.

Congress charged the FCC with answering one simple question in the annual report: Is there "effective competition" in the mobile ecosystem?

But since the 2009 confirmation of Genachowski as the chairman, the FCC has refused to answer the question one way or the other. Here, as in its previous two reports, the commission comes tantalizingly close to the right conclusion, but then backs away from it in the … Read more

MetroPCS advises investors to say 'yes' to T-Mobile merger

MetroPCs wants its shareholders to vote thumb's up on the T-Mobile merger.

In a letter sent today by MetroPCS to its investors, the company said it could provide no assurance that it would offer better shareholder value remaining as a standalone carrier, according to Reuters. If approved, the deal would see MetroPCs declare a 1-for-2 reverse stock split and give its stockholders $1.5 billion back in cash.

Investors would actually own 26 percent of the combined company, while T-Mobile USA's parent Deutsche Telekom would wind up with the remaining 74 percent.

The letter urging approval of the … Read more

MetroPCS shareholders told to vote against T-Mobile merger

A prominent organization that advises major shareholders in public companies how they should vote in corporate elections has told MetroPCS owners to vote against the T-Mobile merger.

Institutional Shareholder Services wrote to shareholders yesterday, saying that seeing their company merge with T-Mobile would not be in their best interests. According to The Wall Street Journal, which obtained a copy of the note, ISS was especially concerned with the way the market has responded since the deal was announced.

"In light of the negative market response to this transaction (shares are down 14.4 percent since announcement), the lower equity … Read more

ModernMix 1.0

Still feeling the Windows 7 blues? Ever wish you could take your apps out of Win8's Modern UI and onto your desktop? ModernMix is a utility that enables Windows 8 Modern-centric apps to run inside a windowed frame, resulting in a more traditional experience like previous versions of Windows. Regardless of your feelings about Microsoft's current direction, ModernMix is an attractive utility made especially for the classically desktop dependent.

When running multiple Modern apps, the applications are not normally running or visible in desktop view. Instead, the charms bar acts as your standard task manager for Modern apps. … Read more

ModernMix 1.0

Modern Mix is a tweak for Windows 8 that brings users one step closer to the classic Windows experience inside the Modern UI environment. Stardock's latest release removes the barrier between the Start Screen and desktop by enabling Modern apps to run inside a window. The result is a user experience more in line with the traditional Windows 7 way of displaying windowed applications. Regardless of your feelings about Microsoft's OS, Modern Mix is a utility that is genuinely useful for the desktop dependent.

After installation, you'll be introduced to ModernMix's config menu. By default, any … Read more

How T-Mobile is priming a stronger LTE network with MetroPCS

T-Mobile's salty, spirited launch of its better-late-than-never LTE network and new contract-free ethos may have felt like a sudden surge come from nowhere, but in fact, it was a well-calculated and slowly calibrated, years-long effort to save an ailing network.

Truth is, the fiery, passionate T-Mobile we saw during its "Uncarrier" event this week wouldn't have been possible without some failures and careful planning. T-Mobile's prognosis is also buoyed by an imminent clinch success: the federally approved purchase of prepaid carrier MetroPCS (the still hasn't been fully approved.)

Out of the spectrum crisis

T-Mobile … Read more

Prepaid or postpaid?: The fight for your cell phone dollars (Smartphones Unlocked)

This article originally published 11/11/2012 and was updated most recently on 3/25/2013.

Now that T-Mobile has smashed into the center of the no-contract wireless game, the tussle for your business between the contract and no-contract carrier model is even more urgent.

There's no question that the prepaid model is designed to save you money over a two-year contract agreement, but how much do you really gain by going prepaid, and what might you lose from the subscriber experience?

For the sake of comparison, I'm going to break down the cost of ownership over a … Read more

T-Mobile, MetroPCS clear final regulatory hurdle

T-Mobile USA and MetroPCS, the fourth and fifth largest cellular networks in the U.S., are set to merge after the third and final regulator gave its thumbs-up to the deal.

First reported by Bloomberg, the three regulators involved in the scrutiny process have now completed their inspection, allowing the deal to close before the fiscal second quarter, as planned.

Now that the Committee on Foreign Investment has given its approval, only a vote among MetroPCS shareholders to sign off on the deal is holding up the merger, which is set to be voted upon on April 12.

The two … Read more