House Commerce, Judiciary Set Feb. 13 T-Mobile/Sprint Hearing; Eshoo Backs Deal
The House Commerce and Judiciary committees set a Feb. 13 hearing on T-Mobile's proposed purchase of Sprint, as expected (see 1901250004). That confirmed what communications sector lobbyists told us earlier Monday. The House Communications and House Judiciary's Antitrust subcommittee will…
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jointly conduct the hearing, which will include testimony from Sprint Executive Chairman Marcelo Claure and T-Mobile CEO John Legere. The merger "would combine two of the four largest wireless carriers and the carriers with the largest numbers of low-income customers," said Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., Communications Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pa., and Antitrust Chairman David Cicilline, D-R.I., in a news release. "We must hold this hearing to examine the effects on important issues like jobs, costs to consumers, innovation and competition." The hearing is "good news,” said Public Knowledge Vice President Chris Lewis in an interview. PK expects the committees would have a “full and serious discussion on the implications of the merger. We want Congress to help promote that discussion and raise concerns about issues and ask important questions of stakeholders.” The group was among 14 that wrote House Commerce and Judiciary Democratic leaders in November urging the hearing (see 1811280071). Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., and 12 other House lawmakers wrote Friday night in support of T-Mobile/Sprint. Both agencies should “carefully examine all dimensions of competition” in the communications market, “including investment, innovation, spectrum resources, the evolving nature of the wireless industry, and the prospect of expanded broadband deployment,” they wrote FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and DOJ Antitrust Division Chief Makan Delrahim.