Filed by
T-Mobile
US, Inc.
pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act of 1933
and deemed filed pursuant to Rule
14a-12
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Subject Company: Sprint Corporation
Commission File No.: 001-04721
The
following article was made available in connection with the transaction.
Viewpoint:
T-Mobile
merger can
help connect the unconnected
By Geoffrey Why, Boston Business Journal, August 16, 2018
In my hyper-connected home, my teenage sons take for granted their ability to access the internet to help them with their homework or advance in their
studies. My
13-year
old has algebra lessons with his Minnesota-based tutor, who video chats with him every Tuesday night. My
18-year
old watches Kahn Academy physics
videos to help him answer the unanswerable questions of the universe. Like many, they assume immediate access to the internet is the norm. But many students lack reliable access, like those in rural Western Massachusetts who park outside of
libraries with laptops in tow to connect to sporadic
Wi-Fi,
and the Boston public school youth who must study in noisy coffee shops to access the information superhighway.
The fact is, poor broadband connectivity has created a significant homework gap for many students in Massachusetts. FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel has
noted that as many as seven in 10 teachers today assign homework online, but the FCC estimates one in three households do not subscribe to broadband service. But help is on the way.
The
T-Mobile-Sprint
merger can help bridge this digital divide. Wireless networks run on various radio frequencies
also called spectrum that different companies own. Currently,
T-Mobile
and Sprint own complementary spectrum bands, which, combined with
T-Mobiles
competitive pricing, could connect the disconnected. Heres how.
With the combination of
T-Mobiles
low
band (600 MHz) and Sprints middle band (2.5 GHz) spectrum, the New
T-Mobile
will accelerate deployment of a 5G network with fiber-like speeds as well as extending outdoor wireless coverage to almost
96 percent of Americans in rural communities. Others are working toward 5G as well, but together,
T-Mobile
and Sprint have the spectrum to create the first nationwide 5G network. In the coming years,
wireless carriers, including the New
T-Mobile,
will deliver speeds 15 times faster than average broadband speeds of today, making 5G a real substitute for wired broadband.
Affordability is another key ingredient to access. Customers of
T-Mobile
brands like MetroPCS a
pre-paid
wireless brand that offers unlimited plans for as low as $30 per month to better serve unbanked communities will benefit from 5G network deployment as well. Like other New T-Mobile users,
pre-paid
customers will use the same supercharged 5G network, leading to cost savings and improvements in network coverage, quality, and speed.
Moreover, a large proportion of cost-conscious customers will be able to use their phones as mobile hotspots to connect to the internet as a substitute for
in-home
broadband. Such cord-cutting will allow them save money by avoiding the prices that traditional internet providers charge.
The New
T-Mobile
will also benefit rural Americans. With 600 new stores serving rural areas and small towns, many
Americans will benefit from competitive pricing for the first time. The company will also provide
in-home
fixed broadband with speeds of at least 25/3 Mbps for over 54 million rural residents, giving them
options that many urban and suburban residents take for granted.
Bottom line: the merger of
T-Mobile
and Sprint
will result in better connectivity for households and students in Massachusetts and beyond. Because of this new connectivity, more students will be able to access online learning, read digital encyclopedias, connect to
e-classrooms,
and collaborate on research projects with students around the country.
Geoffrey Why serves as
counsel at Verrill Dana and as an advisor to
T-Mobile.
He served as commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable from 2009 to 2014.