Ahead of the FCC’s tough new network neutrality rules everyone in the tv and mobile phone space seems desperate to merge.
The latest to just the party is T-Mobile and the Dish Network, whose merger would in theory create another large competitor in the wireless industry.
Dish has been eyeing a mobile phone network for some time, having previously looked to purchase Sprint before the deal fell apart. Talks between Dish and T-Mobile are ongoing, multiple sources confirmed.
Dish is the number 2 satellite television service in the United States, and has acquired vast amounts of wireless spectrum. With a purchase of T-Mobile that spectrum could be put to use by an operator with towers and experience running a mobile network.
The combined subscriber base of tens of millions of customers would allow the two companies to offer package services of phone and TV, and possibly web based TV offerings.
But first, they’d have to strike a deal.
While the Wall St. Journal reports the two are in “close agreement” about a leadership team, “with Dish Chief Executive Charlie Ergen becoming the company’s chairman and his T-Mobile counterpart, John Legere, serving as the combined company’s CEO.”
The telecommunications industry is seeing rapid consolidation as rival AT&T, is seeking to merge with DirecTV and Charter Communications announced plans to merge with Time Warner Cable. Comcast, the largest TV provider, has already done a couple of mergers, most notably with NBC Universal.
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