WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Mike Lee said the proposed
merger between AT&T and T-Mobile to create the largest wireless carrier in
the country should be reviewed carefully to ensure the best outcome for
consumers. Lee, the Ranking Member on
the Judiciary Committee’s Antitrust Subcommittee, said that he favors market
approaches to developing mobile networks, but that care should be taken to
ensure the merger preserves robust competition nationally and from smaller
regional carriers, promotes consumer choices, and encourages innovation.
“An important question before our Subcommittee today is
whether the proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile is a positive step
along the path to world-class wireless broadband throughout the United States,”
Senator Lee said during his opening remarks this morning. “A merger between the
two companies may provide significant and immediate efficiencies that will
enable enhanced service quality, fewer blocked or dropped calls, and increasing
data speeds.”
“At the same time, I share some of the concerns expressed by
my colleague, Senator Kohl, and believe it is our responsibility—along with the
Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division and the Federal Communications
Commission—to ensure that the proposed merger would not produce damaging
anticompetitive effects,” he added.
“A critical question, therefore, is whether the smaller
regional carriers can effectively compete in a post-merger market,” Lee said,
citing potential conflicts regarding the smaller carriers’ access to data
roaming networks and the most popular devices, like iPhones.
Lee concluded: “Our analysis of the proposed merger between
AT&T and T-Mobile should be guided by what will be best for consumers—in
the form of prices, service quality, and range of choice.”