NEW YORK (AP) — The Justice Department has opened an antitrust investigation into whether AT&T, Verizon and a standards-setting group worked together to stop consumers from easily switching wireless carriers.
That’s according to a report in The New York Times.
The report says the government is looking into whether the companies and telecommunications standards organization G.S.M.A. worked together to suppress a technology that lets people remotely switch wireless companies without having to insert a new SIM card into their phones. The report cites six anonymous sources familiar with the matter.
According to the report, the investigation began five months ago.
The report comes as the Justice Department is suing AT&T to block its proposed $85 billion merger with Time Warner over antitrust concerns.
AT&T and G.S.M.A. declined to comment. Verizon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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