Ina Fried

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T-Mobile’s Memo to Staff on the ATT Deal

T-Mobile employees were no doubt as shocked as everyone else to learn on Sunday of the plans to sell the company to AT&T for $39 billion.

Here’s the memo to staff from T-Mobile CEO Phillip Humm (which we should note was posted earlier on Sunday by newly formed Seattle-area tech site GeekWire). And for more, check out Mobilized’s just-published interview with AT&T executive Ralph De La Vega offering his take on the deal.

Dear colleagues,

I write to you over the weekend with important news. Today we announced the beginning of a new journey for T-Mobile USA. AT&T and Deutsche Telekom have reached an agreement for AT&T to acquire T-Mobile USA, positioning the combined company to create a world-class platform for mobile broadband innovation and growth. Deutsche Telekom will become the largest shareholder of AT&T.

The sale of T-Mobile USA to AT&T is the best possible solution for our business and for our customers. The merger will ensure the deployment of a robust 4G network to 95% of the U.S. population, something neither company could achieve on its own. Also, because of our compatible networks and spectrum, the customers of T-Mobile USA and AT&T will experience improved voice and data service almost immediately after the networks are integrated.

Additional details about this transaction are included in a press release attached to this e-mail.

I know this news is unexpected and may be somewhat unsettling, but I am confident that our strong culture and T-Mobile USA Values will help guide us through this process.

Bringing together these two world-class businesses will create significant benefits for our customers. T-Mobile is a wonderful business, with great employees who have always demonstrated a willingness to do what it takes to be successful. Frankly, that is exactly why AT&T expressed an interest in combining our organization with theirs.

AT&T has a proven track record of growing through successful integrations. Their leaders recognize that making this combination a success will require the talent and commitment of T-Mobile USA employees. I believe you will see that reflected in their statements and their actions. In fact, AT&T’s leadership has said keeping our talented people through this transition is one of their top priorities.

It is important to keep in mind that this transaction requires regulatory approval from government agencies; until that time we remain T-Mobile USA and must continue to operate independently. It is expected that this deal will close within 12 months. With that in mind, I ask that each of you remain focused on the outstanding work you do every day to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations.

I ask you to join me in embracing this new opportunity to build America’s premier mobile broadband company. In the meantime, continue to execute our Challenger strategy – there‘s a lot of work to do in the year ahead.

I promise to make more information available to you in the coming days and weeks on OneVoice and through your leaders.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment and support.

With sincere appreciation,

Philipp Humm
CEO & President
T-Mobile USA

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Another gadget you don’t really need. Will not work once you get it home. New model out in 4 weeks. Battery life is too short to be of any use.

— From the fact sheet for a fake product entitled Useless Plasticbox 1.2 (an actual empty plastic box) placed in L.A.-area Best Buy stores by an artist called Plastic Jesus