Karl Bode: Everything T-Mobile, Sprint Merger Critics Predicted Has Come True

Gone are the interesting new promotions. Gone is the amusing ridicule of wireless giants like Verizon and AT&T. Gone is the pseudo-hip trash talking CEO in his magenta sneakers. In its place is a wireless provider that looks more and more like the companies T-Mobile used to ridicule.

And:

historically around the world, a reduction in overall wireless competitors from four to three almost always resulted in a bunch of layoffs, less competition, higher prices, and a lower quality product overall.

I’ve been a T-Mobile customer for the past decade and if I had to pick a date for when the service stopped improving, it lines up almost perfectly with when they acquired Sprint. Prices are going up and the service is now completely undifferentiated from what I can get from Verizon and AT&T in my area.

Thanks to the magic of eSIM I’ve trialed Verizon recently and the coverage was marginally better for me, but the cost was almost identical to what I pay through T-Mobile so I didn’t change because the switching cost (inconvenience, mostly) was too high.

I originally switched to T-Mobile because they were the “un-carrier” and they had deals that seemed innovative and fun in a way that the biggest guys couldn’t do.” Today, they feel completely interchangeable with everyone else. And just like the other carriers, now my rate is going to rise next month despite one of their main pitches a few years ago being they won’t do that. But don’t worry, it’s not a price increase, they’re just moving me to a new plan that happens to cost more 🙃

We are not raising the price of any of our plans; we are moving you to a newer plan with more benefits at a different cost.