Sprint has joined the DOJ in filing a lawsuit against both AT&T and T-Mobile in hopes of halting the proposed merger once and for all.
Like the complaint filed by the DOJ, Sprint claims the merger would violate Section 7 of the Clayton Antitrust Act and alleges that if allowed, the merger would (among other things) raise prices, stifle innovation, further cement Verizon and AT&T’s power, and harm Sprint and other smaller carriers. Leigh Horner, a spokesperson for Sprint, said the company wanted to weigh in on the Justice Department’s suit. “We have an expertise in the industry,” Horner says, “and we wanted to make sure we we’re active in the court proceeding.”
Using “consumer choice” as its platform, Sprint’s VP of Litigation said “with today’s legal action, we are continuing advocacy on behalf of consumers and competition, and expect to contribute our expertise and resources in proving that the proposed transaction is illegal.” The opposition from the US government and other major industry players isn’t stopping AT&T, however, as the company was quick to issue a statement regarding Sprint’s filing that mirrors what it’s been saying since the proposal was introduced.
“This simply demonstrates what we’ve said all along – Sprint is more interested in protecting itself than it is in promoting competition that benefits consumers,” Spring said in its statement today. “We of course will vigorously contest this matter in court as AT&T’s merger with T-Mobile USA will: help solve our nation’s spectrum exhaust situation and improve wireless service for millions; allow AT&T to expand 4G LTE mobile broadband to another 55 million Americans, or 97% of the population; and result in billions of additional investment and tens of thousands of jobs, at a time when our nation needs them most.”
The fight continues.
