Reply #72: Skeptical senators grill chiefs of AT&T and T-Mobile about proposed merger

[xchrom]

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-att-t-mobile-20110512,0,7476741.story

Tough questioning by skeptical senators showed the chief executives of AT&T Inc. and T-Mobile USA just how difficult it's going to be to get regulatory approval for their proposed $39-billion merger.

"The more providers of cellphone service, the lower the price, the better the quality of service and the more innovation that results," said Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), chairman of the Senate's antitrust subcommittee.

"So the burden will squarely be on AT&T and T-Mobile to convince us why this merger is desirable, how it will benefit consumers, and to put aside our concerns that it may very well harm competition," he said Wednesday during the first congressional hearing on the huge wireless deal.

AT&T Chief Executive Randall Stephenson and T-Mobile CEO Philipp Humm struggled to do that.


i'd be surprised if this turns out to be something other than kabuki.