06/18, 11:27am
Water, dust-resistant smartphone uses 5-inch 1080p display, 13MP EXMOR RS camera
The Sony Xperia Z will be going on sale in the United States on T-Mobile "in the coming weeks," according to a statement from the carrier. The water-resistant smartphone, an exclusive to the phone network, will be made available over the summer online and in stores, with a limited-edition purple version being offered at the same time as the black finish model.
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06/13, 6:47am
Amazon shipping Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Fire HD to India later this month
Amazon has launched its Kindle e-reader and Kindle Fire HD tablets in India. Due to ship on June 27th, the Kindle Paperwhite and Paperwhite 3G will cost 10,999 rupees ($190) and 13,999 rupees ($240) respectively, while the Kindle Fire HD tablets are listed as 15,999 rupees ($276) for the 7-inch model, and 21,999 ($380) for the 8.9-inch version. The expansion to India follows a similar move by the retailer into China late last week.
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06/13, 5:59am
Boston, Dallas, Hartford, Las Vegas first to offer unlocked device service
MetroPCS has launched its Bring Your Own Phone (BYOP) service, and is starting with a small initial area rollout. Rumored earlier this month, the BYOP service will allow customers to bring unlocked GSM devices they already own to the carrier, and will initially work in Boston, Dallas, Hartford, and Las Vegas before becoming more widely available.
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06/05, 4:38pm
Company looking to keep speeds relatively even between carriers?
Apple and the iPhone's major US carriers are imposing artificial caps on the cellular speeds of the iPhone and iPad, claims Joseph Brown, a developer of hacked carrier updates. Brown notes that by scrapping a line of Apple code in his AT&T update, iPhone 5 and fourth-generation iPad speeds saw "significant and noticeable results." AT&T iPhones are reportedly limited to 14.4Mbps HSDPA, despite the iPhone 5 being capable of 42.2Mbps DC-HSDPA+, and AT&T's 3G network supporting speeds up to 21.1Mbps. The carrier also reportedly limits LTE.
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06/05, 12:43pm
Will offer limited-vision smartphone from launch in July
A new carrier is attempting to be the first in the United States to cater towards the visually impaired. Odin Mobile, running on top of T-Mobile's network, will be offering mobile devices with accessibility features for those with limited vision, as well as providing customer service specifically with visually impaired customers in mind.
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06/04, 9:49am
Adds two GSM phones to roster, will allow unlocked GSM devices on network
MetroPCS will soon start to allow customers to use the T-Mobile GSM network instead of the existing CDMA one, according to leaked internal documents. The carrier will be adding two new GSM devices to its catalog in the near future, following its successful merger with T-Mobile, and will start offering a Bring Your Own Phone (BYOP) service for GSM devices.
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05/31, 2:09pm
Google Play, T-Mobile start selling white Nexus 4
The white version of the Nexus 4 has gone on sale through Google Play, with T-Mobile also stocking the device. Google is charging $299 and $349 for the 8GB and 16GB models respectively, equaling the price of the black version, and will also provide a free bumper. T-Mobile is offering the 16GB model for $17 up-front and 24 monthly payments of $17, or $428 for it off-contract, though without the bumper.
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05/29, 9:59am
Q10 to cost $100 up-front, $20 monthly over 2 years, $580 without plan
T-Mobile has revealed more information about its launch of the BlackBerry Q10 on its network, which could end up being launched alongside the wider availability of the HTC One. The Q10 with its QWERTY keyboard will be available from the carrier on June 5th at retail, though some business customer that pre-ordered the device since May 14th have already received it.
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05/23, 1:39am
Lumia form gets aluminum frame
Following a formal unveiling last week at a press event in London, Nokia has brought its new Lumia 925 handset to Las Vegas for CTIA's spring expo. Electronista had a chance to try out the T-Mobile edition, which pairs the company's traditional Lumia form and premium camera features with a new aluminum frame.
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05/19, 3:06pm
Last generation flagship arrives on T-Mobile with LTE
An LTE version of Samsung's Galaxy S III will be showing up on T-Mobile's network even as Samsung has moved on to the next generation of its Galaxy S series. The carrier already supported the Galaxy S III, but T Mobile's network wasn't LTE-compatible until just last month.
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05/18, 1:32pm
Carrier confirms ISIS support via Twitter
T-Mobile customers wanting to use Google Wallet are out of luck, as the carrier confirmed this week that it's blocking the mobile payment solution. Instead, T-Mobile wants its customers to use ISIS, a carrier-backed standard that is currently only available in two metropolitan areas. The confirmation marks T-Mobile as just the latest of the major carriers to block Google's standard as they prepare to roll out their own.
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05/14, 2:07pm
T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon to stock BlackBerry Q10 in June
The BlackBerry Q10 is making its way to the US on three different carriers in the summer, after launches in Canada and the UK. T-Mobile states it will sell the smartphone for $100 and 24 monthly installments of $20 or $580 outright, and expects to have it in June. Verizon also claims it will stock the phone in June, though does not reveal how much for, and Sprint confirms it will carry the handset, but it will launch on the network "in late summer" and for an undisclosed price.
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05/13, 3:55pm
Promotional $99 down payment rises to $149 for 16GB model
The newest national carrier of the iPhone, T-Mobile, has ended a promotional "introductory price" period for the iPhone 5, raising the down payment from $99 to $149 for the 16GB model -- with similar $50 increases for the 32GB and 64GB models. Though it is still one of the cheapest ways to buy an iPhone 5 rather than buying a no-contract phone or going through a contract with one of the other carriers, the price difference with a T-Mobile plan is now down to about $20 less than buying the iPhone outright.
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05/13, 9:30am
Does not require jailbreaking, doubles throughput rates
An altered carrier update that has been modified by two hackers successfully increases the bandwidth available for iPhone 5 units on T-Mobile's US network, tests have found. The patch to the carrier update file, which was originally distributed to add LTE signal to the iPhone 5 using T-Mobile's 1900MHz band, works on both unlocked AT&T units as well as "native" T-Mobile iPhone 5 devices without requiring a jailbreak, though instructions vary for customers using jailbroken iPhones.
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05/10, 4:05pm
Focuses on iPhone 5 discount
T-Mobile is planning to push the iPhone 5 heavily in weekend advertising for Mother's Day, according to an internal memo obtained by TmoNews. The effort should specifically focus on the trade-in offer T-Mobile has had since April 12th, in which new or otherwise qualified customers can hand in an iPhone 4 or 4S and negate the cost of buying a 5. The deal applies to both GSM and CDMA trade-ins, but does require that the old hardware have no damage.
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05/08, 5:27am
Carrier manages to sell 500,000 iPhones since April 12th launch on network
T-Mobile USA's first quarterly results of the year appears to show its Uncarrier campaign is working in attracting prepaid customers, though still lost high-earning postpaid accounts. Despite adding more customers overall, revenues for the quarter hit $4.68 billion, a drop of seven percent compared to $5.03 billion received for the same quarter last year.
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05/03, 2:40pm
App, subscription service previously Android-only
T-Mobile has released an iPhone version of its T-Mobile TV app. The app has been available for Android since 2010, but T-Mobile only started selling the iPhone in April. The app comes with 30 days of free access to content like the Associated Press and Fox News, but the bulk of content is behind a subscription paywall.
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05/01, 6:00pm
CEO says Metro iPhone 'not imminent,' but is discussing options
The now-official merger of T-Mobile and MetroPCS into T-Mobile US will not immediately change options for no-contract MetroPCS customers in the way of being able to upgrade to an iPhone under their present arrangements, CEO John Legere said in an interview. While not closing the door on either changes to MetroPCS policies or a no-contract iPhone option in the future, Legere said that MetroPCS' nine million customers will not see iPhones offered anytime soon. He also mentioned that the company is discussing the matter with Apple.
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05/01, 9:24am
Final merger confirmed one week after MetroPCS shareholder vote
T-Mobile USA and MetroPCS have now completed their merger, and are now one company. The formation of the new entity, known as T-Mobile US and trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol TMUS, comes one week after MetroPCS shareholders voted to approve the merger after some improvements, a process which started in October last year.
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04/25, 3:35pm
T-Mobile must spell out penalties for early cancellation of new plans
T-Mobile's newly-launched "Uncarrier" plans are seeing some resistance from judicial channels. Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson has demanded T-Mobile correct "deceptive advertising" that promised customers no annual contracts not requiring the user to "serve a two-year sentence," despite having what the office calls hidden charges for early termination of a new device plan that amounts to the same two-year contractual obligation.
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04/24, 1:32pm
Sprint pushes back full Galaxy S4 launch
Due to some unexpected inventory difficulties Sprint has been forced to delay its full launch of the Samsung Galaxy S4. The company plans to make the Galaxy S4 available through its online store and telesales on Saturday April 27th as planned, while retail stores and other channels receiving devices will be supplied with inventory when it becomes available. Just today some early reviews started going live, with reviewers agreeing that the device is a nice advancement from the S3, but falls short in terms of build quality and features compared to its competition.
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04/24, 11:05am
Shareholder vote succeeds after Deutsche Telekom sweetens deal
Shareholders of MetroPCS have reportedly approved the merger of the carrier with the fourth-largest mobile phone network, the Deutsche Telekom-owned T-Mobile USA. A shareholder vote for the proposal is the last hurdle for the merger to take place, after both the FCC and Department of Justice gave their approval last month with no negative commentary.
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04/19, 1:08pm
Delayed HTC One ships online, some stores face delays
The HTC One has gone on sale in the United States today, launching on Sprint, T-Mobile, and AT&T at the same time. The three carriers are offering the flagship smartphone through their online stores, though in some cases, brick and mortar retail outlets are left waiting until next week to start selling the device.
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04/17, 10:27am
Sprint promises discount for new customers
Several carriers have announced release dates for Samsung's Galaxy S 4, which will land at T-Mobile on April 24 before arriving at Sprint on April 27. Sprint has chosen $250 as the standard subsidized price for the Android flagship, though a $100 instant credit is offered for new customers who switch from another carrier. Keeping to its new "un-carrier" branding, T-Mobile is advertising $150 as its up-front cost ahead of monthly device payments.
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04/15, 8:48am
Training document shows Staples opening pre-orders tomorrow
The Samsung Galaxy S4 may hit retail stores in the US late next week, according to a leaked document from Staples. An in-store training sheet shows the smartphone reaching AT&T well before T-Mobile and Verizon, based on “tentative launch dates,” as well as details concerning Staple's handling of handset pre-orders.
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04/13, 2:12pm
New plan would have customers paying off phones over a year
Verizon on Friday appeared to take a step toward countering T-Mobile's recent headline-grabbing UNcarrier pricing structure. The nation's largest wireless carrier announced that it would be extending the parameters of its Device Payment Plan, allowing customers to spread the cost of a device over the course of a year. The announcement came along with news that the carrier would be lengthening its upgrade timetable from 20 to 24 months.
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04/12, 10:00pm
Heralds the long-awaited arrival of the iPhone 5
Updated with comments from T-Mobile on first-day sales Accompanying its debut at T-Mobile stores around the US, the carrier has debuted the first TV ad for the iPhone 5 on both cable and broadcast outlets. The straightforward ad highlights both the iPhone's arrival on the US network, as well as featuring T-Mobile's new "uncarrier" approach that eschews contracts in exchange for lower up-front fees for phones and monthly instalment payments, which allow for less-expensive talk, text and data options. The debut of the iPhone in T-Mobile stores brought some line-ups to T-Mobile flagship stores for the first time.
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04/12, 3:16pm
Some 240,000 units available across carrier's outlets
A number of US T-Mobile stores saw small lineups today for the carrier's launch of the iPhone 5, reports say. The information is confirmed by photos, first-hand accounts, and calls to some locations. In some cases, according to AppleInsider, shops reported having a "full store" for some time after opening. Documents obtained by TmoNews reveal that T-Mobile is limiting orders to one phone per person every 14 days, and that it has over 240,000 launch units to sell.
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04/11, 7:09am
Change in proposal forces delay in MetroPCS shareholder vote
Deutsche Telekom has updated its proposal to merge T-Mobile USA and MetroPCS with more favorable financial terms, in an effort to get shareholders to vote for the deal. The changes to the proposal, which has been deemed its "best and final offer," has forced MetroPCS to delay the final shareholder vote until April 24th.
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04/10, 6:19am
Upgrade offer from T-Mobile for iPhone 5 launch on carrier
T-Mobile is offering discounts and credits for customers trading up from an iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S to the iPhone 5 through retail stores. The offer, an attempt to encourage upgrades between the iPhone 5's launch on the network on Friday 12th, removes the $99 upfront cost for the iOS device, as well as providing a credit of up to $120 towards monthly bills.
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04/09, 3:28pm
Windows Phone 8 smartphone includes Cinemagraph, Here apps
T-Mobile will be bringing the Nokia Lumia 521 to the United States, sometime in May. The entry-level Windows Phone 8 handset, bearing more than a passing resemblance to the Lumia 520 unveiled by the manufacturer at Mobile World Congress in February, will be able to connect to T-Mobile's 4G network.
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04/09, 9:19am
Best Buy to ship HTC One on T-Mobile on April 19th
The HTC One will be available on T-Mobile on April 19th, according to the Best Buy website. The electronics retailer is carrying the smartphone at $249 when bought with a T-Mobile contract, or $700 off-contract, writes TmoNews. T-Mobile itself will also sell the HTC One without a service contract for $99, but it will still require monthly payments for the phone on its own, as per the new UnCarrier scheme the company is implementing.
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04/08, 2:44pm
Competitors battle for prepaid accounts
Virgin Mobile has kicked off a marketing campaign that is aimed at current T-Mobile prepaid customers. As part of its "retrain your brain" promotion, Virgin is offering $100 in unlimited-plan credit for customers who switch their phone number from a T-Mobile account.
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04/06, 7:04pm
Verizon CEO says it would be 'pretty easy' to switch to no-contract
Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam says it would be "pretty easy" for the nation's largest carrier to switch to a no-contract structure like T-Mobile recently did. Speaking at a New York event this week, McAdam said he was happy to see T-Mobile trying out other pricing structures, and that he would be paying attention to how well T-Mobile's bid goes. McAdam said that it was possible Verizon could put forward such a structure if consumers started asking for it.
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04/05, 4:03pm
Carrier extends features to pre-April 12th iPhones
T-Mobile has released a software update for iPhone 5 users on its network, ensuring that people with older models can get access to some of the features planned for phones shipping on April 12th. That includes access to AWS LTE, Visual Voicemail, the Commercial Mobile Alert System, and HD Voice call quality.
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04/05, 9:32am
Choice between monthly installments or full payment
T-Mobile has officially opened up preorders for the iPhone 5. Buyers can choose either to make a down payment and a series of monthly installments, typically $20 per month for two years, or pay in full right away. The cost of paying in full is $580 for a 16GB phone, $680 for 32GB, or $780 for 64GB.
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04/04, 11:08am
Prepaid customer numbers increase for seventh quarter running
T-Mobile has revealed it has increased its customer count for the first time in four years, after hemorrhaging customers in multiple successive quarters. A net increase of approximately 579,000 customers, 3,000 of which being branded customers, has been noted by the company, ahead of its first quarterly results as the newly re-branded "UnCarrier."
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04/02, 4:30pm
Update enables Visual Voicemail, LTE network connectivity
Reportedly, T-Mobile is planning on sending carrier updates to unlocked iPhones used on its network on or around April 5. The update should enable LTE and Visual Voicemail to the devices brought to the carrier. The update will be pushed only to iPhones running iOS 6.1 or greater.
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03/28, 2:30pm
Requires unlocked model
A new hack allows a current-generation AT&T iPhone 5 to operate on the 1700MHz band of T-Mobile's network, reports claim. The method involves a custom carrier file, and demands an unlocked A1428 model of the phone, whether with AT&T or officially unlocked by Apple. Once active the hack only provides access to LTE, and not T-Mobile's HSPA+ network.
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03/26, 6:30pm
Requires different radio, so previous units can't update to it
[Update: AWS iPhone 5 has cleared FCC approval] In light of the rollout of Apple's iPhone on T-Mobile, Apple has announced that it will begin selling a very-slightly modified version of the iPhone 5 starting April 12. The "new" version, which will carry the same model number, is different only in that it adds capability for T-Mobile's LTE network frequencies, known as AWS (Advanced Wireless Services). No other new features have been added, but because the AWS addition requires a hardware change in the cellular radio, current iPhone 5 units cannot be upgraded through software to AWS compatibility.
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03/26, 4:35pm
Only fixed caps will see throttling to 3G
T-Mobile CEO John Legere and other executives have clarified the carrier's policy on data throttling and Wi-Fi Calling in the wake of the company's iPhone announcement. During a Q&A session, they stated that throttling measures will only drop users to 3G speeds if they're on a fixed plan and exceed their data caps. Anyone on an unlimited data plan will be able to continue at full speed, as long as they aren't interfering with other customers.
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03/26, 2:48pm
Takes advantage of IPhone 5's wideband audio
The T-Mobile iPhone 5 will support the carrier's HD Voice technology, according to an announcement. The feature provides clearer voice calls when compared with normal cellphone service. To take advantage of it, though, all parties must be on a T-Mobile device, and connected to the carrier's HSPA, HSPA+, or LTE networks.
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03/26, 11:52am
New plans explained, more LTE devices added to roster
T-Mobile has formally announced that it will carry the iPhone 5, as well as the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, at its "Uncarrier" media event. At the same time, the carrier has turned on its LTE 4G network in a number of markets, announced other devices that the phone network will offer in the future, and reiterated its new Simple Choice plans.
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03/25, 9:15pm
'Uncarrier' event focused on iPhone, new plans already live
After a prolonged wait following a deal struck back in December, T-Mobile will announce its plans for the iPhone and possibly the iPad as well at its "Uncarrier" event tomorrow, according to reports. The event will split its time between the iPhone announcement and the formal introduction of its already-in-effect "Uncarrier" plans, which eliminate phone subsidies and instead offer lower monthly fees but with an up-front "down payment" and a monthly charge to cover the cost of the device.
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03/25, 5:58am
UnCarrier plans start from $50, unlimited 4G data from $70
T-Mobile has made its new "UnCarrier" contract-free prices official in the United States. The new plans, doing away with the two-year contracts and generally streamlining prices for all future customers, has been unveiled just days before the carrier was due to host a special event, where it is still expected to turn on its 4G LTE network.
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03/22, 3:07pm
Crowdsourced network service detects LTE signals
A number of cities may have been identified as launch locations for T-Mobile's 4G LTE roll-out. Details picked up by crowdsourced network coverage map service OpenSignal suggests that it could launch in nine different cities in the United States, when the carrier is expected to launch the network upgrade later this month.
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03/20, 7:09am
UnCarrier initiative to have price plans differing by data
Price plan details for T-Mobile's "UnCarrier" initiative have allegedly leaked online. If true, a document claimed to be an internal memo tells that T-Mobile will be creating a new set of price plans that automatically include unlimited talk minutes and text messages, with the only difference being the amount of data included and the number of lines.
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03/18, 12:05pm
Software update pushed to Galaxy Note II enables LTE
T-Mobile will be activating its 4G LTE network in the United States by the end of this month, according to reports. An over-the-air update is being sent to Samsung Galaxy Note II smartphones to activate the LTE radio in preparation for the LTE turn-on, which is expected to be at the same time as the BlackBerry Z10 becomes available through the carrier.
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03/12, 4:58pm
Combined carrier will provide service to 33.2 million customers
Earlier today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allowed T-Mobile's parent company Deutsche Telekom to merge its US wireless division with MetroPCS. The FCC believes that the combination will speed LTE deployment, expand MetroPCS into new markets, and overall build a stronger and faster national telecommunications network. The deal, announced in October, would see the nation's fourth-largest carrier merging with its fifth-largest. MetroPCS' 9.3 million-strong customer base would be added to T-Mobile's existing 33.2 million customers
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03/06, 3:50pm
US DOJ allows 30-day antitrust waiting period to expire unhindered
The merger between T-Mobile and MetroPCS has been given the go-ahead to proceed by the United States Department of Justice. A 30-day waiting period, put in place by antitrust laws, has expired without the DoJ offering any objections to the merger, which would see the combined Deutsche Telekom-owned carrier and MetroPCS further embed T-Mobile's position as the fourth largest US carrier.
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