Group asks FCC to press T-Mobile on ‘Plan B’

{mosads}Specifically, Feld urged the FCC to request documentation from Deutsche Telekom regarding the other firms that showed interest in purchasing T-Mobile, the price they offered and why they were rejected in favor of AT&T. 

Feld cited recent comments from Deutsche Telekom’s chief technology officer as evidence the firm has alternative plans should the deal fall through. AT&T and Deutsche Telekom have both consistently maintained T-Mobile lacks the resources to build out its 4G network and compete in the U.S.

When contacted, a T-Mobile spokesman referred Hillicon to a statement sent in September that argued the sale to AT&T is the best possible solution for consumers and declared, “There is no Plan B.”

The Justice Department has filed suit to block the merger, arguing the elimination of T-Mobile as a low-cost competitor to AT&T, Sprint and Verizon would reduce competition in the wireless market and harm consumers.

The firms are exploring the possibility of a settlement, which could include divestitures, to satisfy the government’s concerns while preparing to go to trial early next year.

Feld argued that alternatives to the merger include taking T-Mobile public or selling to one of the other interested parties, which reportedly include Sprint. He pointed to analysts’ estimates that an initial public offering of T-Mobile could raise as much as $28 billion and questioned why AT&T is willing to pay $11 billion above that market value.