AT&T, US argue over witnesses in antitrust trial

AT&T complained that the Justice Department was too slow in telling who its witnesses would be as the government seeks to block the telecommunications giant's acquisition of rival T-Mobile USA.

The government, in a court filing, proposed giving AT&T an initial list of up to 15 witnesses on November 18 and additional lists in December and January. The trial begins on February 13. This did not please AT&T, which noted that the court had initially urged witness lists be exchanged "at the earliest possible time." "More than six weeks after the court's order, defendants are still no closer to receiving a witness list. Yet plaintiffs seek to push the date back still further," AT&T said in its filing. Instead, AT&T suggested Special Master Richard Levie consider giving each side a specific amount of time during the trial to be used as each side wishes. "Plaintiff's (the government) case is likely to focus on the few competitors that plaintiffs claim matter in the market. Defendants' (AT&T) case will broaden that focus to show the much broader array of market participants competing fiercely for customers," AT&T said. The government, for its part, argued that AT&T's desire for a quick trial would be undermined by its failure to cap its witness list.