Year of Uncertainty for T-Mobile USA

The year-long period before regulatory and antitrust review of the proposed AT&T purchase of T-Mobile USA can be completed will likely have repercussions for lots of suppliers to each firm, even before anything else happens. At CTIA, for example, all T-Mobile USA personnel reportedly have withdrawn from all public appearances and are not making any statements.

At other levels, one wonders what other marketing steps T-Mobile USA will, or won't be taking, even before it is clear that the deal is cleared, or clearly fails. If the deal does ultimately not pass muster, T-Mobile USA will gain the advantages of a breakup fee and spectrum, but might have lost a full year when it took the foot off the pedal as far as marketing and other programs directly affecting its customer base.

One wonders whether the ad campaigns comparing AT&T and Verizon to "PCs," with T-Mobile USA cast as "Apple," will last much longer. And, of course, many suppliers to T-Mobile USA have to consider the likelihood that they will not be retained by AT&T once the change of ownership actually occurs. But even before that happens, it is possible many other ramifications will occur, and most of them will be negative for T-Mobile USA if the deal ultimately is rejected.