Trial begins in U.S. states' effort to block T-Mobile/Sprint deal

U.S. state attorneys general, led by New York and California, deliver opening arguments Monday in a bid to stop T-Mobile U.S. from buying Sprint Corp in a trial that highlights disagreements between federal antitrust enforcers, who are Republican, and Democrats in powerful states. Attorneys for the 13 states and the District of Columbia will argue in Manhattan federal court that a plan to combine the No. 3 and No. 4 wireless carriers would push up prices, particularly for users of prepaid plans. The state officials, all Democrats, asked Judge Victor Marrero to order the companies to abandon the deal.