T-Mobile Announces UScellular Acquisition, Promises Improved Connectivity in Rural Areas

T-Mobile today announced plans to purchase UScellular's wireless operations for $4.4 billion, a deal that includes UScellular's wireless customers, stores, and select cellular spectrum.

T Mobile Generic Feature Pink 1
According to T-Mobile, the purchase will provide millions of UScellular customers access to the T-Mobile network, improving connectivity in underserved rural areas. T-Mobile also plans to use the spectrum and wireless assets from UScellular to expand its home broadband offerings.

T-Mobile's press release suggests that wireless customers across the United States will "benefit from enhanced choice and competition," wording aimed at the federal regulators who will need to approve the deal. UScellular will retain ownership of some of its spectrum and its towers, with T-Mobile planning to lease space on approximately 2,000 towers.

UScellular customers will have the option to stay on their existing plans or move to an unlimited T-Mobile plan with no switching costs.

T-Mobile has previously acquired MetroPCS and Sprint, with the latter merger occurring in 2020 after it was previously called off in 2014. U.S. regulators have been concerned with the lack of a fourth major carrier in the United States and could be hesitant to approve yet another T-Mobile purchase.

T-Mobile says that the deal should close in mid-2025.

Popular Stories

apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...
top stories 2025 07 12

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, iOS 26 Beta 3, and More

Saturday July 12, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
The iOS 26 public beta release is quickly approaching, while developers have recently gotten their hands on a third round of betas that has seen Apple continue to tweak features, design, and functionality. We're also continuing to hear rumors about the iPhone 17 lineup that is now just about right around the corner, while Apple's latest big-budget film appears to be taking off, so read on...

Top Rated Comments

ssspinball Avatar
15 months ago
Would love to hear T-Mobile explain how removing a competitor results in “enhanced choice and competition”.

Don’t piss on our heads and tell us it’s raining!
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Morod Avatar
15 months ago
Consolidation is never good for consumers, IMO.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
15 months ago
I no longer trust T-Mobile about anything
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dampfnudel Avatar
15 months ago

Consolidation is never good for consumers, IMO.
As a T-Mobile One subscriber, I learned that last week. If you learned that as a T-Mobile subscriber too, let the FCC know that they broke their un-contract promise that only you can change the price. They still have that 2017 press release on their website.

https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us/articles/360001201223-Phone-Form-Descriptions-of-Complaint-Issues
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SierraVista Avatar
15 months ago
And there goes the last “big” regional carrier.

I’m old enough to remember when Sprint ruined the Nextel iDEN network (imagine an iDEN iPhone with a PTT button!). Consolidation is not a good thing.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Viridian5 Avatar
15 months ago
Price increase for many last week, acquisition this week. But what’s the thing they tell all us regular people? “Don’t buy it if you can’t afford it”. ?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)