Japan’s SoftBank may have renewed interest in combining its Sprint with Deutsche Telekom T-Mobile US
but a deal between the No. 3 and No. 4 US wireless carriers may not make it past US regulators, antitrust experts and industry watchers said.
SoftBank is prepared to give up control of Sprint to T-Mobile, people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday. The companies are expected to begin negotiations in April after the Federal Communications Commission’s auction of airwaves concludes.
But two and a half years ago, SoftBank abandoned talks to acquire T-Mobile for Sprint amid opposition from US antitrust regulators.
It is hard to know how the new administration will view such a deal since President Donald Trump’s comments on antitrust have so far been populist, in contrast to the less skeptical view that past Republican administrations have taken of mergers, legal experts said.
“I am of the camp that that will not happen even in a Trump administration,” Christopher Marangi, co-chief investment officer at GAMCO Investors, said on the prospect of a deal. “That kind of merger means lots of job cuts in the US”
Job creation is a key platform for Trump. He has also been sharply critical of companies that have moved manufacturing operations to Mexico and elsewhere.
Full Content: Reuters
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
Featured News
T-Mobile’s Acquisition of Ka’ena Corporation Receives FCC Approval
Apr 26, 2024 by
CPI
UK Regulator Announces Two New Senior Executive Appointments
Apr 26, 2024 by
CPI
Paramount Global and Skydance Media Near Merger Deal, Eyeing CEO Change
Apr 26, 2024 by
CPI
BHP Unveils £31bn Mining Megamerger Proposal with Anglo American
Apr 25, 2024 by
nhoch@pymnts.com
ByteDance Prefers Shutdown Over Sale of TikTok Amid US Ban Threats
Apr 25, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Economics of Criminal Antitrust
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Navigating Economic Expert Work in Criminal Antitrust Litigation
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
The Increased Importance of Economics in Cartel Cases
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
A Law and Economics Analysis of the Antitrust Treatment of Physician Collective Price Agreements
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Information Exchange In Criminal Antitrust Cases: How Economic Testimony Can Tip The Scales
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI