Washington – The Computer & Communications Industry Association and INCOMPAS, two leading trade organizations representing the communications and digital services industries, filed a joint “friend of the court” brief today urging the federal court for the District of Columbia to grant an extension of time on a key facet of the consent decree that resolved challenges to the T-Mobile-Sprint merger of 2020.
DISH Network Corporation has asked the court for more time to purchase several 800 MHz spectrum licenses from T-Mobile, a transaction approved in the consent decree, which are needed for DISH’s nationwide offering of high-speed wireless broadband service to more than 200 million Americans. The brief states that, “CCIA and INCOMPAS urge the Court to grant the Motion as the best means to replace the competition lost via the T-Mobile-Sprint merger, preserve consumer choice, and encourage broad-reaching, cost-effective wireless service.”
CCIA has advocated for competition in the telecom industry since its inception more than 50 years ago. The following can be attributed to CCIA Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff Stephanie Joyce:
“The district court found in 2020 that enabling DISH to enter the wireless market as a facilities-based carrier was in the public interest, and that finding holds true today. CCIA looks forward to a swift grant of the brief extension of time that DISH seeks.”
The following can be attributed to INCOMPAS President Angie Kronenberg:
“As the leading advocate for competition, we believe this extension is critical to ensure consumers have more choices in the marketplace. We support DISH’s request and urge the court to grant the extension.”