Not surprisingly, public interest groups are not excited about the AT&T-Mobile news. Public Knowledge President Gigi Sohn said last night “We think that US regulators should take a page out of Reed Hundt’s playbook and declare this merger ‘unthinkable‘ (as he did when it was rumored that AT&T would merge w. SBC in 1987).” Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.) are saying they want hearings about this deal and the extent to which it effects competition. Senate Commerce Chairman Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) is also talking about hearings. Meanwhile AT&T exec Randall Stephenson said today the company is “confident” the acquisition will be approved by regulators.
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