JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ISSUES STTEMENT ON AT&T GIVING UP ON T-MOBILE ACQUSIITION


The following excerpt is from the Department of Justice website:

December 19, 2011
Deputy Attorney General Cole:

“This result is a victory for the millions of Americans who use mobile wireless telecommunications services.  A significant competitor remains in the marketplace and consumers will benefit from a quick resolution of this matter without the unnecessary expense of taxpayer money and government resources.”
Acting Assistant Attorney General Pozen: “Consumers won today.  Had AT&T acquired T-Mobile, consumers in the wireless marketplace would have faced higher prices and reduced innovation.  We sued to protect consumers who rely on competition in this important industry.  With the parties’ abandonment, we achieved that result.”

On Aug. 31, 2011, the department filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to block the transaction, which would have combined two of the only four wireless carriers with nationwide networks.  State attorneys general from California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico and Washington joined the United States as co-plaintiffs.  The department coordinated its review of the proposed transaction with the Federal Communications Commission."