Apr. 9—Employees in 10 US Cellular retail stores in West Virginia are among approximately 4, 100 workers to be impacted as the company finalizes the sale of its assets to T-Mobile.
In compliance with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, US Cellular has announced that "employment separations " are planned to begin in early-to-mid June.
A form letter addressed to "local elected officials " and received by the Monongalia County Commission, explains, "We write to inform you that United States Cellular Corp. plans to sell all of its wireless operations, customers, and approximately 30 % of its licensed spectrum to T-Mobile US, Inc. Consistent with these plans, approximately 4, 100 employees will be permanently separated from employment with USCC Management Services LLC at personal locations used by employees working remotely as well as the corporate-owned locations."
A list attached to the letter includes 10 locations in the Mountain State: Morgantown, Beckley, Clarksburg, Elkins, Fayetteville, Lewisburg, Martinsburg, Princeton, Summersville and Whitehall.
As part of its WARN notice, US Cellular says arrangements have been made with T-Mobile "to offer employment to a majority of these employees at a salary or wage rate and with benefits, that when taken as a whole, are no less favorable to these employees' current salary or wage rate and benefits."
According to corporate press releases, T-Mobile's acquisition of US Cellular—first announced by the companies last May—is worth approximately $4.4 billion in cash and assumed debt.
US Cellular is the fifth-largest wireless firm and provides wireless services to approximately 4.5 million customers in 21 states. T-Mobile is one of the three largest wireless carriers, serving approximately 120 million customers nationwide.
Critics of the deal, including the Communications Workers of America, argue the merger is bad for competition, and therefore bad for consumers and employees.
They point to recent history.
In April 2020, T-Mobile acquired Sprint for $26 billion, eliminating one of four major carriers in the market. Following the controversial megamerger, which overcame a multi-state lawsuit brought by 10 attorneys general, T-Mobile laid off approximately 5, 000 employees, or 7 % of its newly expanded workforce.
In 2024, T-Mobile spent another $1.35 billion to acquire Mint Mobile and Ultra Mobile and announced its purchase of US Cellular.
The US Cellular acquisition is currently before the Federal Communications Commission. It's anticipated the transaction will be finalized this summer.