As AT&T moves forward with its acquisition of rival telecommunications company T-Mobile, AT&T's CEO says that he expects the new company will have to divest its interests in some customers and some wireless spectrum in order to gain approval from antitrust regulators.

Randall Stephenson acknowledged that AT&T's proposed acquisition of T-Mobile from Deutsche Telekom for $39 billion is likely to receive heavy scrutiny from regulators, and also faces opposition from consumer-advocacy groups and competitors.

Most observers, including Stephenson, feel that ultimately the deal is likely to be approved. To get that approval, though, the company will probably have to make some concessions.

Verizon is waiting in the wings, hoping to perhaps pick up some of the assets divested by a combined AT&T/T-Mobile, according to Verizon CEO Dan Mead.

Stephenson may be justified in his optimism. Over the past few months, U.S. President Barack Obama has shown a willingness to work with businesses, and he has made a push to cover the nation with a mobile broadband network. These factors augur well for the AT&T/T-Mobile deal.

Stephenson tried to minimize concerns about a cellular "duopoly," but San Diego mergers and acquisitions attorneys have noticed that attorneys general in several states have expressed their concerns about the potential loss of the low-cost provider T-Mobile.

Stephenson says he is not surprised that there is interest in the deal from various authorities, but that the company will deal with each inquiry as it arises.

Source: Wall Street Journal "AT&T CEO Expects Some Divestitures In T-Mobile Deal" 3/30/2011