AMAZON

Company is interested in buying prepaid cell phone company

Amazon is keen to buy Boost Mobile's prepaid wireless internet service from US carriers T-Mobile and Sprint, two sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday.
Amazon is considering buying Boost - currently one of Sprint's prepaid brands - mainly because the deal would allow it to use T-Mobile's new wireless network for at least six years, one source said.
Amazon would also be interested in any wireless spectrum that could be sold, the source said.
Amazon declined to comment. T-Mobile and Sprint did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
It was not immediately clear why America's largest online retailer would want the wireless network and the spectrum.
Amazon is already developing experience by offering phone calls through its Echo Connect product, which uses a person's home phone service and allows Alexa to make phone calls.
This month, Cowen analysts estimate that Boost will have 7 million to 8 million customers and a deal could be valued at $ 4.5 billion if it includes the wireless spectrum, or the radio waves that carry data and facilities.
Sprint did not disclose the number of Boost customers. Reuters