T-Mobile will pay $4.4 billion in debt to acquire nearly all of US Cellular.

 

Buying US is T-Mobile's plan. In a $4.4 billion agreement, Cellular's cellular operations and other spectrum assets were acquired, further dominating the market.

T-Mobile would gain over 4 million new subscribers and command the American market. Approximately 30% of spectrum assets across many frequency bands are used for cellular's wireless operations. T-Mobile will also extend the lease period for the roughly 600 buildings where it now occupies a tenantship and enter into a new master license deal on more than 2,000 towers.

The acquisition would "provide a better experience for all of our customers with more coverage and more capacity," according to T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert.

It can also mean that an industry with fewer participants than ever is about to see further consolidation. Analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities stated, "The writing is on the wall for the carriers and consolidation is now on the horizon and might speed up into 2025." "We anticipate further deals over the course of the next year, but this is the first shot across the bow in the wireless realm.

T-Mobile is one of the telecom industry's busier businesses when it comes to mergers and acquisitions. 2020 saw T-Mobile finalize its acquisition of Sprint, a smaller competitor. Additionally, its merger with MetroPCS Communications Inc. was approved by the Federal Communications Commission in 2013.

Customers of US Cellular will have access to T-Mobile's 5G network, which will improve their coverage and speed, the company announced on Tuesday. According to the corporation, people who reside in underdeveloped rural areas of the nation will especially profit from the agreement.

LeRoy Carlson Jr., the chair of the U.S. Cellular Committee, said in a statement, "We are confident that continuing to deliver on our mission requires a level of scale and investment that is best achieved by integrating our wireless operations with those of T-Mobile. This is due to rising competition and the increasing capital intensity required to keep pace with the latest technologies."

According to T-Mobile, consumers in the United States can choose to convert to an unlimited T-Mobile plan or stick with their existing plans. If they decide to change plans, they will not have to pay any switching fees.

For customers, that is a mixed bag, according to Ives at Wedbush.

"There is greater competition, but the American consumer has fewer options, which could lead to cheaper costs," Ives stated.

In addition to cash, up to $2 billion in assumed debt is part of the deal. The monetary component, which could total up to $100 million, is dependent upon meeting specific operational and financial benchmarks between the signing and conclusion of the contract.

About 70% of U.S. Cellular's spectrum portfolio, which spans multiple spectrum bands, will remain in its possession.

The boards of Telephone and Data Systems Inc., a majority stakeholder of U.S. Cellular, and United States Cellular Corp. have unanimously approved the acquisition. The anticipated closure date is mid-2025.

Tuesday morning's trading saw a more than 2% increase in the shares of U.S. Cellular.