CWA Urges CPUC to Pause T-Mobile/Sprint Review

California regulators should pause reviewing T-Mobile/Sprint until a federal court decides on the state attorneys general lawsuit to block the deal, said Communications Workers of America. CWA met Thursday with Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves, said a Monday filing in docket A18-07-011 at the California Public Utilities Commission. “The case is scheduled to begin in October and last a few weeks,” CWA said: “If the court blocks the merger, there would be no need for a Commission decision on this very controversial merger.” The CPUC must issue proposed decisions 30 days before they can be voted upon at a meeting, so Tuesday is the deadline to get a T-Mobile/Sprint item on the Aug. 1 meeting agenda. The following two CPUC meetings are Aug. 15 and Sept. 12. “I would be surprised if a proposed decision approving the deal was issued this week,” Tellus Venture Associates President Steve Blum emailed Monday. “Under normal circumstances, i.e. the facts are known and the record is closed, I'd be expecting a proposed decision from the ALJ anytime now,” but deal parameters are in flux and California AG Xavier Becerra (D) opposes it, said the local government consultant. The AG suit “changes the dynamics and speaks volumes about how this Commission should move forward,” The Utility Reform Network (TURN) Managing Director-San Diego Christine Mailloux emailed Friday. If a proposed decision or ruling on the carriers’ motion on FCC commitments doesn't come soon (see 1905210001), TURN “will consider further action to request to put more detail into the record in response to any new information presented by the carriers,” she said. Some expect Becerra and other AGs’ suit to mean more scrutiny by California commissioners (see 1906200015). T-Mobile declined comment Monday.