AT&T, Inc. is seeking government approval to purchase one of its major competitors, Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile USA. This combination could negatively impact competition, consumer choice, and consumers’ pocketbooks. If AT&T is allowed to purchase T-Mobile, this will result in nearly 80% of the wireless market being dominated by two wireless carriers – AT&T and Verizon. Moreover, the wireless market is subject to no regulatory regime, thus if AT&T or Verizon were to engage in anti-competitive, anti-consumer behavior, consumers would have little to no recourse.
