I do not think it is going to shock anyone that T-mobile lost a number of customers due to the lack of a proper 3G network. Deutsche Telekom’s CFO Timotheus Hoettges says, “There is no question that we lost customers because many of our customers couldn’t get 3G. We now have to make sure that we can capitalize on the network in the top 10 cities where we have invested.” The really interesting statement from Hoettges is that there is no need for “further consolidation in the US”. This comes right at the time speculation is rampant over a possible merger with MetroPCS/Cricket/Budweiser/Sprint. Now the consolidation talk probably refers to a purchase/merger with one of the larger players, but it does not rule out gobbling up smaller, morelocalized competitors like MetroPCS. We hope that Deutsche Telekom continues to see T-mobile USA as a venture that has yet to realize its full potential and is willing to dedicate the time, money and resources to ensure that T-mobile capitalizes on the current wireless situation in the US. With Sprint fluctuating between alive and dead and AT&T and Verizon duking it out for first, it is a more than opportune time to strike with something that shakes things up. We wait to see if Project Black is indeed that strike.