Phillipp Humm has resigned as the CEO of T Mobile USA and will be replaced by Jim Alling on an interim basis.
Humm was in charge of the fourth largest U.S. mobile operator since 2010 and he started in the German mobile business before heading to America to take charge. He will rejoin his family who still live in Europe.
Humm became CEO of the company in November 2010 and he oversaw the failed merger with AT&T. Chairman Rene Obermann said that Humm had improved the cost situation at T-Mobile, adding “Now we need someone who can convert initiatives into market-successes.”
T-Mobile has 33.4 million subscribers on their GSM and HSPA network and will offer the LTE service in 2013. Humm tried hard to win approval for the merger with AT&T, originally announced in March 2011, but abandoned on December 19th after opposition from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.
T-Mobile USA are behind AT&T and Verizon with 104 and 93 million subscribers respectively.
It isn't all bad news for the company however as they did take some benefits out of the failed merger. As part of a breakup deal, AT&T gave T-Mobile US$3 billion, spectrum licenses in 128 markets and a 7-year roaming agreement that will extend T-Mobile's reach by about 50 million potential subscribers.
Kitguru says: Critical times ahead for the company.