Justice Department Clears T-Mobile’s $4.4 Billion UScellular Deal

The U.S. Department of Justice said it will not seek an injunction against T-Mobile US Inc.’s $4.4 billion acquisition of UScellular’s wireless operations, concluding that any potential harm to competition is outweighed by benefits such as improved network quality for rural customers. The decision closes the Antitrust Division’s investigation of the deal announced in May 2024 and gives the companies clearance to proceed, though they still need approval from the Federal Communications Commission. Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater acknowledged that the transaction will concentrate additional wireless spectrum in the nation’s three largest carriers—T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T—which together control more than 80 percent of U.S. mobile-network spectrum. Nevertheless, she said UScellular lacked the capital to upgrade its network and would likely have seen service deteriorate without a buyer. The ruling is the latest sign of a more permissive stance on mergers under President Donald Trump, following several multibillion-dollar deals approved in recent weeks that mark a departure from the tougher line taken during the Biden administration.