NEW YORK (AP) — Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Nevada are joining the legal fight against T-Mobile’s $26.5 billion bid for Sprint in a case that may reach trial in October.
A lawyer for state attorneys general revealed the additional states at a New York court hearing Friday.
Nine other states and the District of Columbia sued to block the merger this month, saying it will reduce competition and damage consumers.
A lawyer for T-Mobile told a judge Friday that the deal will improve competition by combining two smaller companies, enabling them to compete more effectively against bigger players.
Both sides recommended an Oct. 7 trial date.
U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero did not agree to the date yet, saying any trial date will depend in part on whether the Justice Department joins the states.
