Support grows for AT&T, T-Mobile merger

AT&T’s proposed $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA appears to have re-gained momentum just weeks after encountering its first significant resistance on Capitol Hill.

“We’re not really running into major concerns or disquiet about the deal on any scale that we feel would threaten approval,” said AT&T senior executive vice president Jim Cicconi, pointing out the deal has now been endorsed by 27 state governors, more than 100 mayors and over 150 Chambers of Commerce nationwide. “We've got good momentum on this and it’s growing.” Cicconi noted 77 House Democrats have expressed support for the merger and said while there has been interest on the Hill AT&T hasn't encountered much in the way of opposition beyond the few members that have come out publicly against the deal. Kohl’s counterpart, Senate Antitrust subpanel ranking member Mike Lee (R-Utah) and House Judiciary chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) have also weighed in on behalf of the merger. “I've not run into anything beyond a couple of members where people are arguing against approval of the merger,” Cicconi said. “Quite the contrary, I think we’re getting a lot of support and I think it continues to grow the more people look at this merger.”

(Aug 21)