Snippet: T-Mobile’s John Legere Was Never a ‘Cool CEO’ ☇

Karl Bode for Vice:

T-Mobile’s trash-talking CEO John Legere will be stepping down in April, a decision industry watchers say could harm the company’s controversial $26 billion merger with Sprint.

In a statement, T-Mobile said that Legere would be stepping down on May 1, 2020, replaced by current Chief Operating Officer Mike Sievert. […]

Under Legere, T-Mobile has been a notorious union buster, creating illegal fake unions in the hopes that employees wouldn’t join a real one. The company also supported the repeal of net neutrality and broadband privacy rules, attacked groups like the EFF, and cozied up to the Trump administration to gain approval for its unpopular, competition eroding merger with Sprint. […]

Modern T-Mobile was born from the remnants of the DOJ’s decision to block AT&T from buying T-Mobile in 2011. The blocking of the deal forced AT&T to pay a $4 billion break up fee, money then used to propel T-Mobile to success.

Ironically, a company born out of government opposition to wireless consolidation is now pushing for one of the most controversial megadeals in industry history. The shift, driven largely by T-Mobile majority owner Deutsche Telekom, forced Legere into a role that’s in stark contrast to the brash, consumer-friendly persona he’d built since 2012.

It’s been fun to watch Legere’s antics over the past few years. Some of the things T-Mobile has done under his direction have been good for the wireless industry, but I think anyone who doesn’t see that there’s a bit of a facade (and maybe a heel-turn) is fooling themselves. This has seemed to be breaking down more now than in the original “Uncarrier” days and I think Legere is going to exit at the right time for himself.