The Department of Justice has approved T-Mobile’s controversial $26 billion merger with Sprint. And while the agency proposed a number of remedies it says will mitigate the competition and job-eroding impact of the deal, experts say the fixes will do nothing of the sort.

From the beginning, the biggest issue with T-Mobile’s planned $26 billion merger with Sprint was the fact that it would reduce the number of major U.S. carriers from four to three. Historically, (say in Canada or Ireland) such consolidation results in two things: much higher prices, and a significant culling of jobs as redundant positions are eliminated. 

As a result, AT&T’s attempt to buy T-Mobile in 2011 was blocked by regulators. A 2014 merger attempt by T-Mobile and Sprint was blocked for the same reason. But after T-Mobile engaged in a full court lobbying press (including ramping up patronage of the President’s DC hotels), the company is now hopeful that the third time’s the charm. 

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