Verizon CEO won't oppose AT&T/T-Mobile merger

Verizon Wireless CEO Daniel Mead told Reuters Monday he would not oppose AT&T's acquisition of T-Mobile despite the fact the new entity would displace his firm as the nation's largest wireless carrier.

In Orlando for the CTIA Wireless conference, Mead also denied any interest in purchasing Sprint Nextel. There has been speculation about a possible merger since AT&T's announcement Sunday.

"We're not interested in Sprint. We don't need them," Mead said. Verizon Wireless is jointly owned by Verizon and Europe's Vodafone Group.

Sprint has already voiced concern about the merger, claiming it would "alter dramatically the structure of the communications industry." If approved, the new post-merger ranking of wireless market share would be AT&T, followed Verizon Wireless, then Sprint.