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DOJ Greenlights T-Mobile’s Purchase of US Cellular Assets Despite Market Concentration Concerns

By  |  July 13, 2025
DOJ Greenlights T-Mobile’s Purchase of US Cellular Assets Despite Market Concentration Concerns

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division issued a detailed explanation for its decision not to block T-Mobile’s acquisition of key wireless operations and spectrum licenses from US Cellular, despite acknowledging the deal’s potential to deepen market concentration among the nation’s top wireless providers.

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    According to Ars Technica, the DOJ has opted to close its investigation into T-Mobile’s $4.4 billion purchase of roughly 30% of US Cellular’s spectrum holdings and operational assets. This green light comes even as DOJ officials admit that the merger will further consolidate valuable spectrum among the so-called “Big Three” carriers—T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon—which already control more than 90% of wireless subscriptions in the U.S. and over 80% of the mobile wireless spectrum.

    Gail Slater, Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division and a Trump administration appointee, authored an unusually lengthy 900-word statement outlining the department’s reasoning. Slater acknowledged that the transactions—three in total involving all major carriers—will “consolidate yet more spectrum in the Big 3’s oligopoly,” per Ars Technica. Nevertheless, she maintained that US Cellular’s declining ability to compete independently reduced the risk of further harm to consumers.

    US Cellular, a regional player struggling to retain its market share, is divesting large portions of its wireless spectrum and infrastructure through separate deals. In addition to the T-Mobile agreement, both Verizon and AT&T are reportedly purchasing spectrum licenses from US Cellular for approximately $1 billion each.

    Read more: T-Mobile Shuts Down DEI Efforts to Smooth FCC Deal Approvals

    In its official release, the DOJ justified its non-enforcement decision by arguing that “the potential harm and offsetting benefits of the transaction do not warrant an enforcement action.” The agency concluded that the deal could ultimately enhance service for US Cellular customers, who may otherwise face deteriorating network quality.

    Notably absent from the DOJ’s statement was any reference to regulatory developments that occurred earlier the same week. As Ars Technica also pointed out, T-Mobile had just fulfilled a key demand from the Trump-era FCC by agreeing to discontinue its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. That move reportedly facilitated the FCC’s approval of a separate joint venture between T-Mobile and fiber provider Metronet and is expected to ease regulatory clearance for the US Cellular acquisition as well.

    The series of transactions mark a major reshaping of the U.S. wireless landscape, with all three national carriers expanding their reach through spectrum consolidation. Yet, critics argue the DOJ’s stance reflects a shift away from aggressive antitrust enforcement—even in the face of mounting market dominance by a few powerful firms.

    Source: Ars Technica