Randall Stephenson, CEO of AT&T, thinks any proposed merger or acquisition between Sprint and T-Mobile is likely to be shot down by the U.S. government.
“The problem as I see it is the way the government shut our deal down. They wrote a complaint and a very specific complaint. You’re consolidating the industry from four to three national competitors,” said Stephenson in comments made Tuesday to ReCode. “If you think of Sprint and T-Mobile combining, I struggle to understand how that’s not four going to three.”
SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, who serves as Sprint’s Chairman, has been talking to U.S. regulators about a potential tie-up between Sprint and T-Mobile for months.
So far regulators have been unenthusiastic about the deal, though they’ve not said outright that it will be shot down. Son has gained more loan agreements and may make an official offer in the coming months.
