Could California PUC spoil AT&T/T-Mobile union?

A five-person panel in California could be the wrench in the works of AT&T’s bid for T-Mobile.

In one scenario, if federal authorities approve the deal but California’s Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) votes against it, AT&T could obtain T-Mobile’s spectrum in California but not its customers, cell towers, retail space and other property in the Golden State. The CPUC recently extended the timeline of its review by one month and came out with a list of issues AT&T and other parties need to address. "AT&T should recognize California could be more than just a bump on the road to approval,” said James Bradford Ramsay, general counsel at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.