Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

T-Mobile and Sprint are preparing to take the next step in merging their wireless companies, with the two brands reportedly planning to merge their customers and retail stores under a single T-Mobile banner this summer, via Fierce Wireless. In other words: the end of Sprint is near.

The immediate changes are largely surface-level: Sprint’s brand will be eliminated in favor of T-Mobile’s on things like storefronts and bills. T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert promised that existing Sprint customers will still be able to keep their current plans and won’t be forced to switch over to one of T-Mobile’s plans (at least, for now). New customers will presumably be directed to sign up for T-Mobile plans, instead of Sprint ones, once the changes take…

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