Technologies

T-Mobile’s 3 Years With Sprint: What’s Changed Since the Merger

T-Mobile has expanded its 5G network and kept plan and phone prices down, but other premerger pledges are still unfulfilled.

Three years ago, T-Mobile’s merger with Sprint was finalized, and the nation’s list of top carriers shrank from four to three. At the time, T-Mobile made promises that the merger would be positive for consumers and the larger mobile industry — and though that’s been more true than not, there are still some pledges that haven’t been seen through.

But it also hasn’t led to a worse situation for consumers, at least not yet. Though having three major carriers to choose from instead of four is worrisome for the future (with Dish so far failing to pose a real challenge), competition has kept plan prices relatively stable and even led to big savings on top-tier phones. Carriers have continued to build out their respective 5G networks, leading to new 5G home internet options for people who aren’t connected to broadband (or are looking for an alternative to their traditional cable options). It isn’t the rosiest future, but it isn’t as bad as some critics had feared.

In an April 10 blog post, T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert trumpeted how far the carrier has come in three years, citing everything from better 5G service to the greater availability of home internet to lower prices for all, even people signing up with other carriers.

Indeed, folding in Sprint’s midband 5G towers has given T-Mobile a lead on 5G, letting it achieve nationwide coverage of more than 200 million Americans with faster 5G in 2021, years ahead of both Verizon and AT&T. T-Mobile has also improved 5G access for rural customers, Sievert said.

T-Mobile piggybacked off its larger 5G network to launch and grow its 5G home internet service. For a $50 monthly subscription fee (if they set up automatic payments), the service offers customers higher-speed connectivity compared with dial-up, costly satellite, or underdeveloped DSL or cable alternatives. Though the speeds aren’t as fast or reliable as those of a good cable or fiber connection, T-Mobile’s 5G service can reach consumers who aren’t hooked up to the highest-speed internet networks.

And as Sievert notes, competition between carriers has kept prices on par — for instance, Verizon’s comparable 5G Home service also starts at $50 per month.

Keeping phone plans low

As far as phone plan prices go, the carrier landscape after T-Mobile and Sprint’s merger has preserved competition in consumers’ favor, at least for the time being. Indeed, carrier discounts and deals have even led to a boom in premium phones, which climbed to up to 18% of the phone market early this year, according to IDC analyst Nabila Popal (up from 10% before the pandemic). Carriers have been desperate to get consumers signed to three-year contracts, so they’ve subsidized most or all of the price for phones like the iPhone 14 or Samsung Galaxy S23 series.

T-Mobile remains one the last of the big three providers to still offer two-year options on most of its devices, a more consumer-friendly deal. (A notable exception are pricey foldables like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold line, which requires a three-year commitment to get an upgrade discount.) That said, the carrier has tied some of its best perks and promotions — like free Apple TV Plus and its best device trade-in deals — to a requirement to be on its priciest Magenta Max plans.

On the low end of the price spectrum, T-Mobile did fulfill a premerger promise to offer a $15 per month plan with unlimited talk and text as well as 2.5GB of data, which the carrier has since increased to 3.5GB in compliance with its proposal to increase this cheap plan’s data allowance by 500MB per year. It also has said it’ll keep Mint Mobile’s $15 per month plan should its planned $1.35 billion purchase of the Ryan Reynolds’ owned prepaid carrier go through.

Another major element in T-Mobile and Sprint’s merger proposal was offering low-cost or free data plans; discounted laptops and tablets; and mobile hotspot access to 10 million low-income households. What the carrier branded as Project 10 Million has so far followed through on providing $4.8 billion in services and supplying 5.3 million students with devices through the end of 2022, a T-Mobile spokesperson told CNET.

The carrier hadn’t proposed a deadline for hitting the 10 million marker, but it said the program, which launched in 2020, would last five years, meaning it will expire in 2025. T-Mobile hasn’t said what’ll happen after its commitment period ends.

Merger misses: jobs fall short of promises

T-Mobile doesn’t seem to have fulfilled other pledges made for the merger. The biggest involves jobs, with then-CEO John Legere saying the new combined company would create new jobs and hire 11,000 more workers by 2024. The new T-Mobile started with around 80,000 employees in 2020, according to regulatory filings, but after losing around 5,000 employees in 2021 due to layoffs, along with more jobs shed among network and engineering as well as retail employees, the carrier so far seems to have fallen short of its promise.

When reached for comment, T-Mobile pushed back on the idea that the carrier employs fewer people now than it did before the merger. But it didn’t share exact personnel numbers, saying only that thousands of jobs have been created. T-Mobile also didn’t address whether it’ll make the 11,000-person hiring goal set by Legere.

«Before we merged with Sprint, we said we’d have more employees as a combined company than the two standalone companies would have had on their own without the merger — and we have done just that,» said a T-Mobile spokesperson. In the years since the merger, the spokesperson said, the carrier has also «created thousands of jobs for vendors and partners.»

Granted, the jobs-related proposal was made by a different CEO and before a pandemic led to layoffs and challenging economic conditions across many industries. But the current situation is still gloomier than T-Mobile had originally proposed.

The merger also shifted the balance of power among carriers. In their premerger assurances, T-Mobile and Sprint said they’d divest some of their assets to Dish, turning the satellite TV provider into the nation’s de facto fourth-largest carrier and saving the merger. Dish acquired Sprint’s prepaid mobile brand Boost and has the option to pay $3.59 billion for 800MHz wireless spectrum to form its own 5G network, though it may end up passing on the offer to save money after finishing testing the spectrum. In the meantime, Dish has secured agreements with AT&T and T-Mobile to use their 5G networks while it builds its own.

Though Dish finally opened sign-ups for its 5G service back in August, and launched its own $25 prepaid service in December, progress has been slow to get the carrier in line with the far more established T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T. For now, Dish isn’t a serious threat to its bigger siblings.

What comes after the merger timeline expires?

The US Department of Justice required a lot of assurances, like those listed above, to approve the T-Mobile and Sprint merger, but they all have expiration dates. This has implications for who’s helped by the new T-Mobile’s plans — like students aided by Project 10 Million, which lasts through 2025, as well as regular consumers through plan pricing.

As part of the merger, T-Mobile agreed to lock in pricing on its plans for three years, though it’s unclear what will happen after. Last year, the carrier introduced the similarly named Price Lock as a broad feature for most of its prepaid and postpaid mobile as well as broadband internet plans, but only new customers qualify.

There are still a few other merger pledges stretching into the years to come. By the end of 2023, T-Mobile must provide 5G service to 97% of the population, and within six years 99%. The carrier must cover 85% of the rural American population by the end of this year, and 90% within six years. But beyond that, it’s unclear what T-Mobile has in store for consumers.

Technologies

OpenAI and Google Take Steps to Avoid Abusive AI Imagery After Grok Scandal

AI safety, especially around images and videos, continues to be an evolving challenge.

2026 started with a horrifying example of generative AI’s potential for abuse. Grok, the AI tool from Elon Musk’s xAI, was used to undress or nudify pictures of people shared on X (formerly Twitter) at an alarming rate. Grok made 3 million sexualized images over a span of 11 days in January, with approximately 23,000 of those containing images of children, according to a study from the Center for Countering Digital Hate.

Now, competitors like OpenAI and Google are stepping up their security to avoid being the next Grok.

Advocates and safety researchers have long been concerned about AI’s ability to create abusive and illegal content. The creation and sharing of nonconsensual intimate imagery, sometimes referred to as revenge porn, was a big problem before AI. Generative AI only makes it quicker, easier and cheaper for anyone to target and victimize people.

On Jan. 14, two weeks into the scandal, X’s Safety account confirmed in a post that it would pause Grok’s ability to edit images on the social media app. Grok’s image-generation abilities are still available to paying subscribers in its standalone app and website. X did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Most major companies have safeguards in place to prevent the kind of wide-scale abuse that we saw was possible with Grok. But cybersecurity is never a solid metal wall of protection; it’s a brick wall that’s constantly undergoing repairs. Here’s how OpenAI and Google have tried to beef up their safety protections to circumvent Grok-like failures.

OpenAI fixes image generation vulnerabilities

At a base level, all AI companies have policies prohibiting the creation of illegal imagery, like child sexual abuse material, also known as CSAM. Many tech companies have guardrails to prevent the creation of intimate imagery altogether. Grok is the exception, with «spicy» modes for image and video.

Still, anyone intent on creating nonconsensual intimate imagery can try to trick AI models into doing so.

Researchers from Mindgard, a cybersecurity company focused on AI, found a vulnerability in ChatGPT that allowed people to circumvent its guardrails and make intimate images. They used a tactic called «adversarial prompting,» where testers try to poke holes in an AI with specifically crafted instructions. In this case, it was tricking the chatbot’s memory with custom prompts, then copying the nudified style onto images of well-known people.

Mindgard alerted OpenAI of its findings in early February, and the ChatGPT developer confirmed on Feb. 10 — before Mindgard went public with its report — that it had fixed the problem.

«We’re grateful to the researchers who shared their findings,» an OpenAI spokesperson said to CNET and Mindgard. «We moved quickly to fix a bug that allowed the model to generate these images. We value this kind of collaboration and remain focused on strengthening safeguards to keep users safe.»

This process is how cybersecurity often works. Outside red-team researchers like Mindgard test software for weaknesses or workarounds, mimicking strategies that bad actors might use. When they identify security gaps, they alert the software provider so fixes can be deployed.

«Assuming motivated users will not attempt to bypass safeguards is a strategic miscalculation. Attackers iterate. Guardrails must assume persistence,» Mindgard wrote in a blog post.

While tech companies boast about how you can use their AI for any purpose, they also need to make a strong promise that they can prevent AI from being used to enact abuse. For AI image generation, that means having a strong repertoire of prompts that will be refused and kicked back to users.

When OpenAI launched its Sora 2 video model, it promised to be more conservative with its content moderation for this very reason. But it’s important to ensure its moderation practices are consistently effective, not just at a product’s launch. It makes AI safety testing an ongoing process for cybersecurity researchers and AI developers alike.

Google upgrades Search reporting

For its part, Google is taking steps to ensure abusive images aren’t spread as easily. The tech giant simplified its process for requesting the removal of explicit images from Google Search. You can click the three dots in the upper right corner of an image, click report and then tell Google you want the photo removed because it «shows a sexual image of me.» The new changes also let you select multiple images at once and track your reports more easily.

«We hope that this new removal process reduces the burden that victims of nonconsensual explicit imagery face,» the company said in a blog post.

When asked about any further steps the company is taking to prevent AI-enabled abuse, Google pointed CNET to its generative AI prohibited use policy. Google’s policy, like many other tech companies’ fine print, outlaws using AI for illegal or potentially abusive activities, such as creating intimate imagery.

There are laws that aim to help victims when these images are shared online, such as the 2025 Take It Down Act. But that law’s scope is limited, which is why many advocacy groups, like the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, are pushing for better rules.

There’s no guarantee that these changes will prevent anyone from ever using AI for harassment and abuse. That’s why it’s so important that developers stay vigilant to ensure we are all protected — and act quickly when reports and problems pop up.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

Technologies

Jump on This Half-Off Super Mario Odyssey Deal Before It’s Gone

Best Buy just cut the price of Super Mario Odyssey for Nintendo Switch in half.

Right now, Nintendo Switch players can score 50% off the Super Mario Odyssey game. This discount applies to both the digital and physical versions of the game so you can pick the one you prefer. Best Buy is the only retailer with this discount. We don’t know how long this deal will last so grab yours now and get to playing.

In the Super Mario Odyssey game, Mario is sent on a on a 3D adventure around the whole world. He races to stop Bowser’s wedding plans and rescue Princess Peach. The game has a ton of kingdoms, hidden secrets and fun challenges. There’s even a new character, Cappy, that teams up with Mario.

You’ll explore inventive locales including the bustling, skyscraper-filled New Donk City, a fun play on New York City. You will also be collecting Power Moons to fuel the Odyssey airship. There’s also drop-in co-op with split Joy-Con controls. Plus, there are bonus features tied to wedding-themed figures.

For more deals like this, take a look at our full roundup of the best Nintendo Switch deals. You’ll find discounts on games, accessories and more.

CHEAP GAMING LAPTOP DEALS OF THE WEEK

Alienware 16 Aurora AC16250 Intel 7 RTX 5060 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 16-inch 120Hz Laptop:

$1,000 (save $350)
Lenovo LOQ Intel i5 13th Gen RTX 5050 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 15.6-inch Laptop:

$750 (save $295)
HP Omen Slim Intel Ultra 5 RTX 5050 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 16-inch Laptop:

$800 (save $650)
Alienware 16 Aurora AC16250 Intel 7 RTX 5050 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 16-inch 120Hz Laptop:

$850 (save $350)
Acer Nitro V Intel i5 13th Gen RTX 4050 512GB SSD 8GB RAM 15.6-inch Laptop:

$709 (save $41)

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why this deal matters

Best Buy is the only retailer offering a discount on the Super Mario Odyssey for Nintendo Switch game right now. It’s sold out at Amazon. As for Target and directly at Nintendo, the game is still full price. Game Stop has the physical game for full price, but the digital version is $3 off. Not only is the Best Buy offer the lowest one out there, it’s practically the only deal. Plus it’s a 50% off deal that is impossible to beat.

Technologies

A Planet Parade Is Happening This Week: How to See 6 Planets In the Sky

Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Uranus and Neptune will all be in the night sky at the same time.

One of the coolest celestial events is happening this week, where six planets will be visible in the night sky at the same time. This phenomenon, known as a planet parade, occurs only a few times each year with varying numbers of planets.

This particular planet parade will include Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. It’s just one planet shy of the full set, a phenomenon that is quite rare and most recently happened a year ago, in February 2025. You’ll need a telescope to see everything, especially since much of it will occur right at dusk, which will make a few of the planets harder to see.

When will the planet parade happen?

The Northern Hemisphere will get its best glimpse at the planet parade around sunset this week. This one will be particularly challenging for skywatchers because of light pollution, as spotting planets with the sun even partially up is more difficult. Your best bet is around 6:45 p.m. local time, and your window will be exceedingly short. Mercury and Venus drop below the horizon roughly 30 to 45 minutes later, so that’s all the time you’ll have.

The good news is that Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Neptune are all clustered together against the western horizon near the setting sun. Venus and Mercury will be right next to each other, and Saturn and Neptune will be clumped together nearby. That should make the four of them a little bit easier to spot, which is a boon for skygazers given the short window.

Jupiter and Uranus will be the easiest to spot and will remain in the sky long after the other four planets have dipped below the horizon. Uranus will travel across the southern sky alongside the Taurus constellation before dropping below the western horizon a few hours after midnight. Jupiter will follow a very similar path to Uranus, but it is hanging out with the Gemini constellation.

All told, the best dates to view the planet parade in the US, Canada and Mexico are Feb. 21 to 28. Before Feb. 21, Venus and Mercury will be too close to the sun. Once March begins, Mercury will drift closer to the sun again, dipping below the horizon before it’s readily visible. Once that happens, the five-planet parade will continue for about another week or so before Neptune and Saturn dip below the horizon, thus ending the parade and leaving only Venus, Jupiter and Uranus visible in the sky.

Will the planet parade be visible in my region?

Yes. We checked Stellarium’s sky map from several locations across the US, Mexico and Canada, and the planet parade was visible in every place we checked. According to Star Walk, the parade will be visible everywhere from Tokyo to London. We also checked the Southern Hemisphere, and it’ll be visible there as well. The dates vary based on location, but most places should be able to see it at some point between now and Feb. 28.

How can I find the various planets in the sky?

The image above gives you a general idea of where they’ll be in relation to one another, but the best thing to do is check out a sky map and plan ahead. We recommend Stellarium’s sky map if you’re on a desktop and Stellarium Mobile (Android and iOS) if you’re using your phone.

We recommend finding Venus first because it’s the easiest planet to spot out of the four that are near the sun. You can then use the app to find the other three. Jupiter and Uranus are alone in the night sky and will remain there after the other four dip below the horizon, so we recommend finding those last, since they’ll be around longer.

Will I need any special equipment to view the parade?

Yes. With four of the planets close to the sun, it will make them hard to spot with the naked eye, thanks to the light pollution. Uranus and Neptune are impossible to see without a magnification device of some sort, even in total darkness. A telescope is highly recommended. Astronomers suggest a minimum aperture of 8 inches and 50x magnification to get the best results. That is strong enough to see the rings of Uranus and Saturn. You need a telescope with roughly 150 times magnification to peep the rings on Neptune.

The usual space viewing tips also apply. Get away from the city to a place with as little light pollution as possible, since you’re already fighting the sun to see these things. And be very careful not to point your telescope at the sun, since that can damage your eyes. Try to pick a night with as little cloud cover as possible.

The first of three planet parades in 2026

Planet parades are uncommon, but sometimes the universe smiles on Earth. This year is going to be really good for planet parades, as three are expected in 2026. February is the first one. The other two are slated for April (five planets) and August (six planets). That means there are two more chances to watch a planet parade in 2026 if you miss the one in February.