Puerto Rico joins opposition to AT&T/T-Mobile merger

Puerto Rico has joined seven US states, the Department of Justice (DoJ), and two US cellcos – Sprint Nextel and Cellular South – in a lawsuit to block AT&T from acquiring smaller wireless rival T-Mobile USA from Germany’s Deutsche Telekom, on the grounds that the USD39 billion proposed merger is anti-competitive. In late August the DoJ filed a civil antitrust suit to block the deal, which would include the takeover of T-Mobile’s Puerto Rican branch by AT&T Puerto Rico. Sprint also operates in Puerto Rico, which has five mobile network operators, including America Movil subsidiary Claro and Open Mobile, following US giant AT&T’s recent takeover of US and Puerto Rican assets of Centennial.