T-Mobile Girds for Decisive Battle With States Over Sprint

  • Outcome will create new No. 2 carrier or leave Sprint limping
  • States have the edge going into antitrust trial, analyst says
T-Mobile Heads to Court to Battle States Over Sprint Deal
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The future of the U.S. wireless industry hinges on a court battle kicking off Monday in federal court in Manhattan, a case that could end with T-Mobile US Inc. buying Sprint Corp., and Dish Network Corp. getting the go-ahead to enter the market.

U.S. Judge Victor Marrero will weigh arguments from a group of states that say he should block the $26.5 billion Sprint deal because it will raise prices on consumers by eliminating competition between the two carriers. T-Mobile says the opposite: that by combining with Sprint, it can reduce costs and lower prices.