AT&T Merger With T-Mobile Cock Blocked by U.S. Department of Justice: Much Needed Local Hiring Spree in Doubt

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The urge to merge is on-hold.

A day after AT&T announced it would be creating 5,000 much-needed jobs as a result of its merger with T-Mobile -- including local openings in Anaheim Hills and Cerritos -- President Obama's Department of Justice declared that it was challenging the corporate marriage.

No iPhones for T-Mobile customers ... yet:

The AT&T job bonanza was spun as an initiative to move foreign call-center operators stateside.

Randall Stephenson, AT&T CEO:

At a time when many Americans are struggling and our economy faces significant challenges, we're pleased that the T-Mobile merger allows us to bring 5,000 jobs back to the United States and significantly increase our investment here.

Maybe the company knew this DOJ challenge was coming and wanted to give the administration a black eye. After all, who transfers "call center" jobs back to the U.S. from places like India these days? Who knows.

Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole said at a press conference today that the government was just looking out for your iPhone bill:

The Department filed its lawsuit because we believe the combination of AT&T and T-Mobile would result in tens of millions of consumers all across the United States facing higher prices, fewer choices and lower quality products for their mobile wireless services.

It would be way cool to have our iPhone with T-Mobile pricing. But there's no guarantee that would happen under the merger anyway.

Would 5,000 new American jobs be worth a near monopoly for AT&T? Do you think your iPhone bill would actually go down as a result?

You can always express your opinions on the DOJ vs. AT&T at the ballot box in November.

[@dennisjromero/djromero@laweekly.com]