After months of investigation, the top consumer advocates for seven states have waded through vague promises and conflicting information from AT&T and decided the telecom giant’s plan to takeover its competitor would lead to higher prices and other problems for consumers and businesses in their states. This bipartisan group of attorneys general have joined the Department of Justice in its lawsuit to block the deal, and an amended complaint has been filed with the court.
For almost 40 years, the Computer & Communications Industry Association has been a voice against anti-competitive behavior by dominant companies. The following statement can be attributed to CCIA’s President and CEO Ed Black:
“We applaud the state attorneys general, who have wisely weeded through the promises versus the reality of AT&T’s takeover bid, and are taking steps to protect their states from the higher prices that come when an industry no longer has competition.”
The following statement can be attributed to CCIA Vice President Cathy Sloan:
“Seven of the most populous states in America with the most sophisticated investigatory and legal resources at their disposal have examined AT&T’s proposal to acquire its competitor and decided the deal is illegally anticompetitive – and should be blocked.”