Sprint Seeking Ways to Buy Out Clearwire

andy2373 said:
And it's LTE. But they have a contract with Clearwire, so to speed there roll out of LTE and not to run two competing 4G networks the only thing that would make sense is to buy out Clearwire.

Unless Sprint/Clearwire is willing to replace all WiMAX customer equipment already in the field, it will operate WiMAX and LTE simultaneously for a period of time. But Sprint/Clearwire has more than sufficient BRS 2500/2600 MHz spectrum in which to do so.

andy2373 said:
And then Sprint will probably convert Clear's assets to LTE.
I just wonder if Sprint can make this transition before the ATT/TMO merger?

For several reasons, it does not matter.

As I surmised above, Sprint/Clearwire will run WiMAX and LTE side by side during the transition period.

Additionally, the AT&T-T-Mobile merger will not likely garner regulatory approval. AT&T greatly damaged its case for the merger last week when one of its law firms accidentally released a non redacted letter that reveals some info that AT&T does not want the public to know.

The letter divulges that, months before the merger announcement, AT&T crunched the numbers and determined that a 97% national POPs LTE footprint would cost AT&T an added $3.8 billion beyond that of an 80% national POPs footprint. This has two important ramifications.

One, it proves that AT&T has been lying through its teeth when it claims that it "needs" T-Mobile's spectrum to accomplish a 97% POPs rural LTE build out.

Two, it shows that AT&T is holding rural LTE deployment hostage in a disingenuous attempt to get the merger approved.

AJ