Overview

• The Antitrust Division concluded the merger’s benefits outweigh the risks and will not seek an injunction to stop T-Mobile’s $4.4 billion purchase of U.S. Cellular.
• Investigators found that U.S. Cellular’s limited regional footprint and rising capital costs would have led to network degradation if it remained independent.
• T-Mobile has vowed to integrate the networks to provide U.S. Cellular customers with faster data speeds and extend rural coverage for existing subscribers.
• The deal will further concentrate over 80 percent of wireless spectrum among the three national carriers, raising concerns about barriers to future competition.
• Final approval still hinges on Federal Communications Commission sign-off; the DOJ has pledged to scrutinize future spectrum transactions to safeguard competitive entry.