Sprint and T-Mobile are finally trying to tie the knot, but Sprint isn't just hanging back while it waits for the deal to be done. It's still planning its own 5G network to begin deployment in the coming year. It already had an initial list of 5G markets, but it's adding to it today.
Read More[Update: More details] Report: T-Mobile and Sprint may agree to merger as soon as next week
Sprint and T-Mobile weave a complicated relationship. For years they've desired each other, drawn inexorably to that most corporate copulation: the merger. In a landscape run by AT&T and Verizon, the two star-crossed lovers have struggled separately to carve a little chunk of the world (including the US telecommunications market) for themselves. And, according to a report by Reuters, after a long and conflicted courtship, their paths and profits may soon be joined.
Read MoreGoogle Voice integration with Sprint will end on June 1st
Google and Sprint got together in 2011 to offer a fully integrated Google Voice experience on the carrier. You could place calls with your Sprint number but have all the benefits of Google Voice like call forwarding to multiple numbers, voicemail transcriptions, call recording, and so on. Then, Google forgot Google Voice existed for a few years. The Sprint integration worked even after Google relaunched Voice in 2017, but now it's shutting down. As of June 1st, Voice integration on Sprint is no more.
Read MoreT-Mobile and Sprint are reportedly starting merger talks yet again
We all know how annoying it can be when you've got two friends who are clearly into each other, but neither one of them has the guts to make a move. So, everyone around them has to put up with the awkwardness and tension. That's where T-Mobile and Sprint are right now. They've almost gotten together a few times, only to have things fall apart at the last minute. Now, the carriers are reportedly entering into merger talks again. Maybe they'll finally seal the deal this time.
Read MoreT-Mobile will roll out support for RCS Universal Profile in Q2
Messaging can be confusing or downright aggravating these days. Google can't seem to figure out what it wants to do, and there are tons of alternatives all with their own insular user bases. You might just end up sending a text message, but thankfully text messages will get better thanks to RCS. T-Mobile was quick to deploy RCS messaging on its network back in 2015, and many Tmo subscribers are already using it without realizing. However, it hasn't committed to using the Universal Profile until now. Tmo now says it will start using the standard in the coming months.
Read More[Update: Pre-orders are live] Galaxy S9 and S9+ US pre-orders, pricing, release date, and more
The Galaxy S9 and S9+ are both official now, but there's still the pesky question of where to pick one up. You can always go the unlocked route, but carrier deals can present a decent discount. Plus, you've got aesthetics to take into consideration. Will this retailer have that color? And where can you grab it first? If you can't focus past the adjustable aperture in your enthusiasm for Samsung's latest, don't worry. We've got those details here.
Read MoreProject Fi now has coverage in 170 countries
Google's Project Fi would already work in 135 countries around the world, but today that number balloons to a whopping 170. In newly added countries like Belize and Myanmar, you pay the same $10 per gigabyte of data, and data after bill protection kicks in is free (but slow). You'll even know if a country is covered before you go just by opening the Fi app.
Read MoreSprint plans to begin 5G rollout in first half of 2019 with higher unlimited plan prices
The 4G era has not been kind to Sprint. It went from a strong number three in the US wireless market to a distant fourth place behind T-Mobile. The company hopes that the move to 5G will help it regain market share and compete on network quality. CEO Marcelo Claure now says the carrier will begin its 5G rollout in the first half of 2019, putting it ahead of the other national carriers. However, that new network will likely come with higher plan prices.
Read MoreThe Best Of AP
T-Mobile tops JD Power wireless customer care rankings, Sprint a distant fourth place
T-Mobile has un-carried itself back to the top of J.D. Power's customers care rankings for full-service wireless carriers. The latest survey, which evaluates consumers' satisfaction with their carriers' customer service, shows Verizon and AT&T taking spots two and three respectively, and Sprint...well, someone needs to do something about Sprint.
Read MoreOnePlus investigating US carrier deals, will launch next flagship in late Q2
OnePlus has gotten where it is by selling unlocked phones directly to consumers at a rapid pace. The sub-$500 OnePlus 5 was only out for around five months before the 5T usurped it. Now, OnePlus is looking into potential carrier deals in the US to move future phones in larger numbers. Speaking of future phones, OnePlus confirms a new phone is coming in a few months.
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