FCC Official: AT&T/T-Mobile Deal Will Have "Steep Climb"
Shared by Mystech
What’s really being tested here is not whether or not this merger is bad for the industry or the consumers (that’s really not even slightly in doubt), but if government agencies actually do more than rubber stamp receipts from corporations as they get their way after a dog and pony show for the public.
AT&T has clearly known from the start that its plans to gobble up T-Mobile aren't going to be a walk in the park. In fact, when the company first made its announcement, it peppered in a number of statements aimed at preemptively curbing the inevitable antitrust concerns.
Here’s a good one,
The U.S. wireless industry is one of the most fiercely competitive markets in the world and will remain so after this deal. The U.S. is one of the few countries in the world where a large majority of consumers can choose from five or more wireless providers in their local market.
The FCC, not surprisingly, is apparently planning on putting AT&T through the ringer on this one. One official from the organization spoke to The Wall Street Journal on the condition of anonymity, stating, “There’s no way the chairman’s office rubber-stamps this transaction. It will be a steep climb to say the least.”
AT&T is insisting, however, that such a deal would be "in the public interest." Said a spokesman for the wireless giant, "We understand that Congress, the DOJ, the FCC, as well as wireless consumers will have questions about the transaction. We look forward to answering and addressing those questions. We are confident that the facts will demonstrate that the deal is in the public interest and that competition will continue to flourish."
