SoftBank reportedly closing in on purchase of T-Mobile

Japanese telecom SoftBank could soon a close deal to buy T-Mobile. SoftBank apparently hopes to acquire a majority of T-Mobile’s shares via its own US subsidiary, Sprint, as soon as next spring. The estimated price tag? More than two trillion yen, or some $19 billion.

Japanese conglomerate SoftBank and German carrier Deutsche Telekom are close to a deal that would merge T-Mobile US with Sprint, eliminating one of the four major mobile competitors in the U.S., according to the Nikkei news agency.