What you need to know

  • Ten state attorneys general are suing to block the proposed $26.5 billion merger between two of the largest carriers in the U.S.
  • State AG James (NY) warns that the merger would cut access to affordable service.
  • The FCC Chairman has already voiced his support for the T-Mobile-Sprint merger.

The $26.5 billion merger between T-Mobile and Sprint proposed back in April of last year is facing yet another obstacle as ten state attorneys general are suing to prevent it, according to a report by The Verge.

This lawsuit is led by Attorney General Letitia James from New York, who says that the merger would cause "irreparable harm to mobile subscribers nationwide by cutting access to affordable, reliable wireless service for millions of Americans."

This is far from the first time lawmakers have voiced their concerns surrounding the proposed merger, with many calling it potentially anti-competitive and citing that the companies' promises regarding 5G deployment have been largely unfulfilled so far.

This comes just weeks after officials from the U.S. Department of Justice asked that the two carriers establish a new network with its own infrastructure to maintain the status quo of four major U.S. carriers, though FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has already stated his support for the merger.

T-Mobile and Sprint are merging for $26.5 billion: Here are the details