AT&T and Deutsche Telekom requested a stay of proceedings in the Justice Department’s lawsuit to block AT&T’s $39 billion takeover of T-Mobile USA, as the two telecommunications giants weigh their options for the deal.
The judge overseeing the lawsuit, Ellen S. Huvelle of the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia, agreed on Monday to stay court proceedings until Jan. 18. AT&T and Deutsche Telekom plan to use the time to “evaluate all options.”
The Justice Department, which asked Judge Huvelle to withdraw or postpone the lawsuit on Friday, joined AT&T in its court filing.
“AT&T is committed to working with Deutsche Telekom to find a solution that is in the best interests of our respective customers, shareholders and employees,” AT&T said in a statement. “We are actively considering whether and how to revise our current transaction to achieve the necessary regulatory approvals.”
The move follows a series of blows to the proposed takeover, which is opposed by the Justice Department, the Federal Communications Commission and several competitors. The deal is also under investigation from a California State commission.
Last month, the F.C.C.’s chairman, Julius Genachowski, moved to refer AT&T’s application for approval of the deal to an administrative hearing, effectively declaring the agency’s opposition to the takeover. AT&T subsequently withdrew its application from consideration, saying it would resubmit the filing at a later date.