Multichannel News: T-Mobile-Sprint Decision Draws Crowd

A district court judge’s decision upholding the Justice Department and FCC approval of the Sprint-T-Mobile merger drew immediate reaction from Washington.

Both the FCC and Justice had argued the deal would help speed the 5G rollout, with conditions that would ultimately create a new, facilities-based, competitor, helping justify the reduction of the Big Four–AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint–wireless carriers to the Big Three. …

“We are deeply disappointed in the Court’s decision to approve the T-Mobile-Sprint merger, which will have significant consequences for consumers and competition,” said Michael Copps, special advisor to Common Cause and former Democratic FCC chairman. “All of the evidence in this proceeding shows that this merger is inherently illegal under antitrust law. Even evidence presented at the trial revealed the companies’ executives acknowledged prices for wireless service would rise if the merger was approved. The Court’s decision will reduce the wireless market from four to three national carriers, undoubtedly raising prices on wireless customers.”