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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Shareholders of Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc. are poised to approve the companies' union, creating the nation's third-largest wireless phone company with more than 40 million subscribers.
The new company will represent a solid competitor to industry leaders Cingular Wireless and Verizon Wireless. Shareholders were voting Wednesday in separate meetings to approve the $35 billion acquisition of Reston, Va.-based Nextel by Overland Park, Kan.-based Sprint. Approval from both groups was expected.
The effect of the merger on consumers is unclear, although the extra competition will likely continue the drive in wireless toward lower prices, faster Internet speeds and expanded add-ons for cell phones, ranging from ringtones to games to video programming.
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