Open Markets Applauds State AGs’ Move to Block T-Mobile-Sprint Deal

Washington, DC — Today, Bloomberg reported that a group of State Attorneys General, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, is set to sue to block T-Mobile’s proposed takeover of Sprint on antitrust grounds as the U.S. Department of Justice nears a final decision on the $26.5 billion deal. Their move comes less than a month after Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai said he will vote to approve the deal.

“This is another example of state enforcers standing up for the public interest when federal regulators fail to do so,” Open Markets Executive Director Barry Lynn said. “We commend the state attorneys general for recognizing how this takeover will harm citizens all across America, especially in rural and farm communities, and in the poorer parts of our cities. It’s great to see real action against powerful corporations.”

The merger, if allowed to go forward, would consolidate the nation’s wireless market from four to just three carriers and would concentrate control over more than 50 percent of the prepaid wireless market in the hands of T-Mobile. The almost inevitable result of such a deal would be higher prices, poorer service, less innovation, and the slower rollout of next-generation technologies.

For additional information:

FT: American Prosperity Depends on Stopping Mega-Mergers

Open Markets Signs on to Coalition Letter Opposing T-Mobile-Sprint Mega Merger

Open Markets Institute Submits Joint Brief in Opposition to T-Mobile-Sprint Merger