Part 4/10:
In 2011, the telecommunications landscape faced yet another shakeup when AT&T attempted to acquire T-Mobile for $39 billion. However, the U.S. government intervened, blocking the merger and obligating AT&T to pay T-Mobile a $3 billion breakup fee alongside a $1 billion bandwidth spectrum. Although it seemed like fortune was smiling upon T-Mobile, the company faced significant challenges ahead.
Despite this financial boost, T-Mobile was still hemorrhaging cash, with losses of $6.8 billion in 2012. DT’s patience was running thin, and T-Mobile needed to either revive its fortunes or face the specter of shutdown.