33 Pennsylvania state lawmakers sign new joint letter with PA community organizations in opposition to T-Mobile-Sprint merger

In a new bipartisan joint letter released today, 33 Pennsylvania state lawmakers joined with 12 Pennsylvania community, advocacy, and civic organizations to express concern that the proposed T-Mobile-Sprint merger is against the public interest: harming Pennsylvania consumers and workers while failing to help rural Pennsylvania. The letter cites CWA’s economic analysis which finds that the merger would eliminate 635 retail jobs in Pennsylvania.

The letter arrives as the US House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee held a hearing on the merger this week.

Addressed to federal regulators at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Department of Justice (DoJ) Antitrust Division, the new Pennsylvania letter notes:

“[T]he merger will reduce consumer choice, competition, jobs, workers’ wages, and raise prices for consumers. This is not in the public interest. [...] We are confident that your agencies will conduct a thorough review of the proposed T-Mobile-Sprint merger to ensure compliance with antitrust, consumer protection, and public interest standards. We cannot support a merger that would result in higher prices and fewer choices for wireless consumers, job loss for wireless workers, and increased risk to our nation’s security.”

In addition, State Senator Christine Tartaglione sent an individual letter to the FCC and DoJ on February 28, expressing her concerns about the merger.

Several Pennsylvania lawmakers and representatives from organizations explained their concern and opposition to the merger, including:

Senator Katie Muth, Pennsylvania Senate District 44: “T-Mobile and Sprint are each other’s biggest competitors. Eliminating their head-to-head competition would mean higher prices for my constituents and residents across our state. At a time when Pennsylvanians deserve expanded wireless access, this merger will leave the majority of rural households in Pennsylvania and in the US without access to high-speed wireless.”

Edward F. Mooney, CWA District 2-13 Vice President: “This proposed merger is just another example of corporations getting their way to line their pockets at the expense of workers who keep wireless services running across our country.  Under this proposed merger, we will see lower wages and higher prices right here in Pennsylvania while the corporate CEOs at the top make even greater profits.”

Read the letter here.