US: Sprint uses unsettling consumer choice stats to boost merger chances

Sprint owner SoftBank is looking to up its chances of winning over approval to acquire US rival T-Mobile by presenting some starting facts about consumer choice – or the lack thereof – of broadband services.

Softbank CEO Mayoshi Son presented data to the US Chamber of Commerce that said more than two0thirds of households in the US have only two or fewer options for broadband services. The stats, provided by the Federal Communications Commission last December, are part of Sprint’s efforts to convince regulators that a merger with T-Mobile would offer consumers new wireless options to replace wireline broadband services.

But reports note that most consumers are unlikely to consider wireless $G services as a replacement to fixed line broadband.

The stats were presented as rumors continue to heat up over Sprint’s plans to acquire its closest rival, a deal that would reduce the number of US wireless competitors from four to three.

Full Content: BGR

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