Despite paying $35 billion for Nextel back in 2005, Sprint is now reportedly considering either spinning off or potentially even selling the ailing division. Speculation points toward Deutsche Telekom AG, the parent company of T-Mobile, being interested in a possible Nextel acquisition.

Sprint Nextel is the third-biggest provider of cell phone services in the U.S. and has a market capitalization of approximately $22 billion. AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless are the top two U.S. providers. T-Mobile is No. 4 in the U.S. market, but the unit has proved key to Deutsche Telekom, given that just slightly more than 50 percent of its annual sales now come from markets outside of Germany, its home base. Last year, the company posted sales of $100.8 billion worldwide, including $29.8 billion from T-Mobile.

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