The head of the U.S. government’s wireless regulator is giving the green light to T-Mobile’s $26 billion acquisition of Sprint, a deal that will combine the country’s third- and fourth-biggest wireless carriers — with some caveats.

The deal, which had been opposed by some consumer advocates who said it would mean reduced competition and higher prices, is contingent on the two companies agreeing to stipulations on the development of next-generation 5G technology and the expansion of broadband internet access to rural areas, according to a statement released Monday by the Federal Communications Commission.

T-Mobile first agreed to acquire Sprint for $26 billion in April 2018, but the deal remained in doubt due to regulatory scrutiny. The FCC has previously blocked some mergers in the wireless industry.

The deal still needs to make it through a vote at the FCC, as well as an ongoing review by the Justice Department.

Gigi Sohn, a former counselor to the FCC chairman in the Obama administration and currently a distinguished fellow at the Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy, questioned whether the FCC would be able to make sure Sprint and T-Mobile live up to its promises.

More at NBC News.