Published
3 years agoon
Kingsburg’s top administrator is hoping Tuesday’s decision in a federal lawsuit will now allow a promised 1,000 employee call center to move forward in his community.
“I feel better today than I did last week,” Kingsburg City Manager Alexander Henderson said. “Hopefully, we’re getting to some final resolution.”
Kingsburg City Manager Alexander Henderson
The opening of the call center is contingent on the successful merger of T-Mobile with rival carrier Sprint, the company’s announcement said. While the deal was previously approved by the Trump administration, a group of state attorneys general sued to block it. They argued that having one fewer phone company would cost Americans billions of dollars in higher bills.
Related Story: T-Mobile Merger Is a Great Thing for Valley: Autry
Consumer Reports agreed, saying the three remaining companies would have fewer incentives to compete on prices and quality.Additional approvals are still needed, including from California’s Public Utilities Commission.
“We can’t wait to be a partner in the revitalized Central Valley,” T-Mobile president Mike Sievert was quoted as saying in the company’s April announcement. “We’re really excited to join the greater Kingsburg community, add an amazing group of 1,000 employees to our Magenta family, and get to work taking care of our customers!”
The company has pledged to open similar call centers in Overland Park, Kansas; Rochester, New York; and Nassau County, New York. All are subject to the merger’s completion.
T-Mobile launched its bid for Sprint in 2018, after having been rebuffed by Obama-era regulators. T-Mobile CEO John Legere had seen President Donald Trump’s election and his appointed regulators as a good opportunity to try again to combine, according to evidence during the trial.
The company promised not to raise prices for three years and said the combined T-Mobile-Sprint would build a better 5G network — a priority for the Trump administration — than either company could alone.
Randy Reed is a writer and content producer for GV Wire. He has experience reporting for local radio stations and newspapers. In addition, he an extensive background in video production focused on news and documentary subjects. Reed is a proud graduate of California State University, Fresno with a degree in Mass Communications. In his free time, Reed enjoys digital photography as a hobby and loves to explore the scenic beauty of our Valley’s three spectacular National Parks. You can contact Randy at 559-705-2107 or Send an Email.
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