T-Mobile CEO takes the stand in T-Mobile/Sprint merger
trial
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[December 14, 2019] By
Sheila Dang
(Reuters) - T-Mobile US Inc Chief Executive
John Legere testified on Friday that he believes U.S. regulators
considered Dish Network's history of attempting to build a wireless
network when they approved the merger between T-Mobile and Sprint Corp.
A group of U.S. states have sued to stop the merger, saying it would
lead to higher prices.
T-Mobile and Sprint have already received approval for the deal from the
U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC), after the companies agreed to sell Sprint’s prepaid phone
business and some spectrum to satellite TV provider Dish, which has
committed to building a nationwide wireless network and becoming a
competitor in the industry.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2019/Dec/14/images/ads/current/charrons_bch041713.png)
The states have argued that Dish has a history of stockpiling FCC
licenses for wireless spectrum, or airwaves that carry data, and has not
yet demonstrated that it can build a wireless network.
Legere was the defense's first witness, and his testimony came on the
fifth day of a trial that is expected to run until Dec. 20. He has
previously accused Dish of "hoarding" spectrum.
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![](../images/121419pics/busine49.jpg)
T-Mobile US Inc Chief Executive Officer John Legere arrives at
Manhattan Federal Court during the T-Mobile/Sprint federal case in
New York, U.S., December12, 2019. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2019/Dec/14/images/ads/current/stclara_lda_SPONSOR_090519.png)
Glenn Pomerantz, an attorney representing California in the lawsuit, asked
Legere about a letter T-Mobile previously sent to the FCC, criticizing Dish's
wireless business plans as a "modernized version of last century's two-way
paging."
Legere testified that he believed the FCC considered Dish's track record when it
approved the merger of T-Mobile and Sprint.
Under the terms with the FCC, which has given the green light to the T-Mobile
and Sprint merger, Dish committed to build a 5G wireless network that will cover
at least 70% of the U.S. population by June 2023, or it will pay up to $2.2
billion in fines.
(Reporting by Sheila Dang; Editing by Noeleen Walder and David Gregorio)
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