WASHINGTON — According to press reports, Sprint is dropping its bid to acquire competitor T-Mobile, scuttling a long-rumored $32 billon deal that would have consolidated the country’s third- and fourth-largest mobile providers.

Free Press President and CEO Craig Aaron made the following statement:

“Sprint’s decision to drop its bid for T-Mobile is good news for mobile users. The deal could have stifled competition, squelched innovation and driven up prices. Give the FCC and DoJ credit for throwing cold water on this deal from the start. This should send a message to Comcast and AT&T, which are also lobbying Washington for approval of ill-advised mergers: Start paying more attention to the needs of your customers rather than scheming to swallow up the competition. Consumers win when mega-deals like this never materialize.”