US company, SPRINT (turnover USD 26.2 bn in 2003 with workforce of 60,000 and 20.1 million customers) has bought up mobile phone operator NEXTEL COMMUNICATIONS (turnover of USD 10.8 bn in 2003 with workforce of 18,000 and 15.3 million customers) for USD 35.17 bn in cash and shares. This merger will create a company owned equally by SPRINT and NEXTEL shareholders and which will become the third largest mobile telephone company in the USA. It will have a stock market capitalisation of USD 70...