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US: Sprint reportedly talking to White House about possible merger

By  |  March 6, 2017

In recent weeks, President Trump has repeatedly mentioned promised investments and jobs from Sprint and its parent company Softbank. Now the wireless provider is reportedly hoping to eventually turn that goodwill — and the Trump administration’s light-touch approach to regulation — into a mega merger, possibly with T-Mobile, Comcast, or others.

New wireless industry mergers are currently on hold until the government-sponsored wireless spectrum auction ends later this spring, but the New York Times reports that Tokyo-based SoftBank has met with members of the White House economics team, talking up the need for consolidation.

SoftBank executives and members of President Trump’s economic team recently addressed the future of mergers broadly. The Times, citing sources briefed on the matter, reports that the presentations claimed that a lack of advanced digital investments has put the US economy at risk. This risk could be mitigated if telecommunications and wireless companies merged.

Full Content: New York Times

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