I imagine the transition for Sprint customers will be similar to MetroPCS merging into T-Mobile. Band utilization should be as follows: Retain the current T-Mobile bands for VoLTE+LTE and enhance coverage and speed with Bands 25/26. Band 41 will be used exclusively for a fast 5G rollout as it is the lowest end (best building penetration) for 5G.
Which company will be the lead? Will sprint name or tmobile disappear?
T-Mobile. Sprint is getting gobbled up like MetroPCS.
Any real information on what will happen to Sprint, or to either S or T MVNOs is (purposefully) vague at this point. From my reading this morning, Sprint and T-Mobile will maintain their separate headquarters. (Why?) The combined operation will be under the T-Mobile umbrella I didn't find any official info on what might happen to Sprint as a functional network, and absolutely nothing about an impact on MVNOs.
(Both of which are probably intentional-- at this point, the merging companies are interested in pushing the consumer and tech benefits of the merge, and not at all interested in talking about shutting off customer choices, or competition at any level of the industry below the future AT&T/VZW/(merged)T-Mo competition.)
My wild guesses as to what might happen if approved:
Sprint CDMA (2G/3G) will, at best, be left to wither away, while any remaining Sprint functional network will tie into a combined LTE/5G network. This will probably happen over a period of a couple of years, because the new T-Mo won't want to force customers to replace handsets & service immediately (since that would lead each consumer into picking a choice of the major carriers-- a slow changeover encourages consumers already on Sprint/T-Mobile to stay there).
The number of MVNOs would get whittled down rapidly following regulatory approval, and/or differences between the MVNO offerings will likely get whittled down as well.
If you buy a redpocket (tmobile) annual plan and redpocket is not on the magic supplier list. Will you be grandfathered for that year? What if rates change?
Am I being too sensitive?
One of the biggest obstacle to it getting approved is about jobs. If they got rid of the second headquarters that would mean job losses and the deal is unlikely to go through.