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Trump’s DOJ seems annoyed about having to approve T-Mobile’s latest merger

The Department of Justice Antitrust Division issued an unusual statement yesterday about its decision to let T-Mobile complete an acquisition of US Cellular's wireless operations.

Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division, a Trump nominee who was confirmed by the Senate in March, said in a 900-word statement that the deal and two related transactions "will consolidate yet more spectrum in the Big 3's oligopoly, which controls more than 80 percent of the mobile wireless spectrum in the country." She said the top three carriers—T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon—control more than 90 percent of the mobile subscriptions in the United States.

Despite that, the DOJ said it closed its investigation into the merger and will not ask a court for an injunction to prevent T-Mobile from buying US Cellular assets. US Cellular is being carved up among the three major wireless firms, as the regional carrier is selling spectrum licenses in separate deals with Verizon and AT&T for about $1 billion each. T-Mobile is paying $4.4 billion for about 30 percent of US Cellular's spectrum assets and its wireless operations.

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T-Mobile launches fiber internet service in the US with a five-year price lock

T-Mobile is bringing its fiber internet service to more than 500,000 households throughout the US. In an update on Tuesday, T-Mobile revealed three new plans that offer customers symmetrical speeds of up to 2 Gigs.

In addition to a five-year price lock, the new plans come with a $5 autopay discount, but only if you pay with a debit card or bank account. Here’s a list of the plans, which will be available starting June 5th:

  • Fiber 500 (500 Mbps): $80 / month ($75 with autopay)
  • Fiber 1 Gig (1 Gbps): $95 / month ($90 with autopay)
  • Fiber 2 Gig (2 Gbps): $110 / month ($105 with autopay)

T-Mobile’s big fiber expansion comes just months after it closed its joint venture deal with the fiber internet provider Lumos — a move the Federal Communications Commission only approved after the carrier made changes to its stance on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

T-Mobile’s fiber internet service was previously only available in a limited number of locations. But now it’s building out its network through its deal with Lumos and its pending acquisition of the fiber provider Metronet. T-Mobile says it expects to reach 12 to 15 million households or more by the end of 2030, allowing it to compete with rivals like AT&T and Verizon that have invested billions into fiber. Last month, the FCC approved Verizon’s $20 billion acquisition of Frontier after it “committed to ending DEI.”

T-Mobile will also provide discounts for customers who have phone lines with the service. It’s offering a $75 / month ($70 with autopay) Fiber Founders Club plan as well, which comes with a 10-year price lock but is only “available in select locations for a limited time.”

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