THE REQUEST: The Justice Department says it wants to withdraw or postpone its antitrust case against the proposed takeover of T-Mobile USA by its larger rival, AT&T Inc.
THE REASON: The two companies had withdrawn their application with the Federal Communications Commission to approve the deal. A Justice official says there’s no real deal to review until the companies file again.
THE BACKGROUND: The companies withdrew the FCC bid because it wanted to focus on the Justice case. A lawyer for T-Mobile says the deal is over if the trial doesn’t proceed expeditiously.
