A couple of days ago, we mentioned that Sprint was possibly getting the next iPhone. However with each passing day, there has one more Sprint iPhone rumor after another. This is similar to the rumors that came out at the time of the Verizon iPhone being released. At the time of the release of the Verizon iPhone, there were more rumors about the Verizon getting the iPhone than there are right now about the iPhone 5 coming out.

However recently, Sprint sued AT&T and T-Mobile to try to prevent the merger of the two major GSM Networks from joining together in the purchase of T-Mobile by AT&T. A lawsuit from Sprint names the following.

“Sprint opposes AT&T’s proposed takeover of T-Mobile,” said Susan Z. Haller, vice president-Litigation, Sprint. “With today’s legal action, we are continuing that advocacy on behalf of consumers and competition, and expect to contribute our expertise and resources in proving that the proposed transaction is illegal.”

Sprint’s lawsuit focuses on the competitive and consumer harms which would result from a takeover of T-Mobile by AT&T. The proposed takeover would:

- Harm retail consumers and corporate customers by causing higher prices and less innovation.

- Entrench the duopoly control of AT&T and Verizon, the two “Ma Bell” descendants, of the almost one-quarter of a trillion dollar wireless market. As a result of the transaction, AT&T and Verizon would control more than three-quarters of that market and 90 percent of the profits.

- Harm Sprint and the other independent wireless carriers. If the transaction were to be allowed, a combined AT&T and T-Mobile would have the ability to use its control over backhaul, roaming and spectrum, and its increased market position to exclude competitors, raise their costs, restrict their access to handsets, damage their businesses and ultimately to lessen competition.

AT&T mentioned that purchase would allow AT&T to provide the 4G coverage possible for a GSM company in America. By adding T-Mobile, AT&T would be really strengthening the coverage not only in 4G, but in 3G as well. In addition, network strength would also become greater due to the fact that there would be a lot more antennas to help provide strong coverage for the network.

In additional paperwork, Sprint mentions how they have managed for 5 years without the iPhone 4.

From iDB:

Some interesting information came out of federal court regarding Sprint’s ongoingopposition of AT&T’s T-Mobile acquisition.

The interestingly worded portion of the court filing states that “Sprint has had to compete without access to the iPhone for nearly five years.” Now of course, we and others could be reaching here, but the wording is most definitely eyebrow raising.

What particularly makes me curious, is the use of the word had, which of course, indicates past tense. It’s widely expected that Sprint will finally even the playing field this fall when the iPhone 5 launches, and this just adds more fuel to an already smoldering fire…

The documentation goes on to emphasize that Apple “gave Verizon a time-to-market advantage for the iPhone…”

This is My Next takes a logical stance in the matter, and states that it “would only be an actual advantage if other carriers like Sprint and T-Mobile were set to get the device later on.” Hey, makes sense to us.

In addition to all these mentions of the iPhone in documentation, there have been many other hints of Sprint getting the next generation iPhone. Sprint has apparently been installing signal strengtheners in the Apple stores in preparation of the next iPhone release.

“Sprint is installing cellular network repeaters in and around Apple retail stores ahead of the iPhone 5, according to a source which offers the strongest evidence that a Sprint iPhone is on the verge of arriving. Steve Jobs once famously gave away the fact that the iPhone was coming to Verizon when he mentioned that Apple had a Verizon tower on its Cupertino campus, which could only have been there for iPhone testing purposes. Now there’s evidence that Apple is beefing up Sprint signal quality at its own stores so that would-be iPhone 5 buyers will be able to put the device through its paces on the Sprintnetwork in quantity while still in the store.”

From iDB:

A recent report from The Wall Street Journal said that Sprint will definitely be getting thenext iPhone this Fall. The publication stated that Sprint would begin selling the device in mid-October.

After the report, Sprint told its staff to not discuss the iPhone rumors with customers. The carrier also scheduled a “Strategy Update” event on October 7th, hinting at an iPhone announcement. The carrier’s ETF was also raised to $350 — all of this activity pointing towards a partnership with Apple.

The source in question works for an electrical contractor in Austin, Texas. He says that Sprint is installing multiple repeaters in and around Apple stores. The equipment is CDMA-based.

AT&T’s proposed acquisition of T-Mobile has been subjected to opposition from the US government, although it’s expected that the deal will pass through. This would leave Sprint to face AT&T and Verizon alone in the US. Adding the iPhone to its roster is an obvious move for Sprint to maintain relevancy moving forward.

So what do you think about the release of the Sprint iPhone potentially coming?