T-Mobile US Acquisition of UScellular Approved by DOJ: Impact on Wireless Industry

The U.S. Department of Justice has greenlighted T-Mobile US’ $4.4 billion acquisition of UScellular’s wireless business after T-Mobile announced the discontinuation of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. While the decision raised concerns about market competition and spectrum concentration, the benefits of the deal were deemed to outweigh the potential harm. The approval signifies a pivotal moment for the wireless industry, with the top three operators dominating over 90% of the mobile subscriptions in the country. However, the ongoing consolidation among major carriers poses risks to emerging competition, with the DOJ vowing to scrutinize future spectrum deals. T-Mobile pledged to end its DEI policies ‘not just in name, but in substance,’ a day before the go-ahead, aligning with the trend of major players focusing more on acquisitions than DEI initiatives.