Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced a settlement in the lawsuit challenging the merger of T-Mobile and Sprint. The settlement includes terms to protect low-income subscribers, extend access to underserved communities, and protect current T-Mobile and Sprint employees.
“I challenged T-Mobile’s merger with Sprint to protect Illinois consumers from the risks that come with decreased competition, including unfair prices,” Raoul said. “Although the merger is moving forward, today’s settlement ensures protections for vulnerable consumers and job security for the companies’ employees, as well as an important commitment to prioritize diversity and inclusion within the new, merged company.”
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As part of the settlement, the merged company has agreed to:
Raoul joined a coalition of 16 attorneys general in a lawsuit challenging the merger of T-Mobile and Sprint in September 2019. The lawsuit, filed in United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleged that the merger of two of the four national mobile network operators would harm mobile subscribers nationwide by reducing access to affordable, reliable wireless service, hitting lower-income and minority communities particularly hard. As a result of this settlement, Illinois will not appeal the decision of that court.
Bureau Chief Blake Harrop and Assistant Attorney General Joseph Chervin handled the case for Raoul’s Antitrust Bureau, along with Division Chief Christopher Wells, who handled the case for Raoul’s Public Interest Division.