By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable Online, 5-21-19

The reconfigured T-Mobile-Sprint deal appears to have the three votes needed to secure approval by the five-member FCC.

That came after the companies volunteered a revised list of conditions that included divesting Boost Mobile, the low-cost prepaid wireless subsidiary; building out high-speed 5G wireless service to most of the nation, including rural areas, on a timetable acceptable to the FCC; and maintaining the same or better prices for three years.

FCC chairman Ajit Pai announced his support Monday.  Republican commissioner Brendan Carr also agreed the restructured deal, submitted to the FCC Monday (May 20), was in the public interest and had his vote as well.  Third Republican commissioner Michael O’Rielly said late Monday that he was “inclined” to approve it.

The Justice Department still has to resolve its antitrust review of the deal, but the Boost divestiture may signal it will be OK with it as well given antitrust chief Makan Delrahim’s avowed preference for divestitures to resolve outstanding competition issues.  » Read More