After months of statements, the biggest challenge yet to T-Mobile and Sprint proposed merger kicks off today in a Manhattan court.
The trial is the result of pushback from a coalition of attorneys general of 13 states and the District of Columbia, who have raised flags over the proposed $26 billion merging of the country third and fourth-largest carriers.Texas joins growing list of AGs looking to block T-Mobile/Sprint merger&Today we stand on the side of meaningful competition and affordable options for consumers,& California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in a statement provided to TechCrunch.
&Our airwaves belong to the public, who are entitled to more, not less.
This merger would hurt the most vulnerable people among us — leaving consumers with fewer choices and higher prices.
We&re fighting in court with a 14-state strong coalition for then, and for all Americans, and we&re confident the law is on our side.&The AGs contend that such a merger will decrease competition in the U.S.
telecom market, by knocking the number of major carriers down to three.
T-Mobile and Sprint, on the other hand, have argued that it will do the opposite, suggesting that the companies& pooled powers would better equip them to take on Verizon and AT-T in the rush to 5G.FCC approves T-Mobile/Sprint merger despite serious concernsOver the summer, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai issued an order essentially arguing with the carriers and suggested the deal move forward.
&The evidence conclusively demonstrates that this transaction will bring fast 5G wireless service to many more Americans and help close the digital divide in rural areas,& he said in August.
The trial is expected to last three weeks, per The Wall Street Journal, kicking off with today opening statements.
Sprint Chairman Marcelo Claure and soon-to-be-former T-Mobile CEO John Legere will take the stand to make their case against the AGs.