T-Mobile hires Ogilvy Government Relations to lobby on merger

T-Mobile USA has hired Ogilvy Government Relations to lobby on issues related to the firm's proposed acquisition by AT&T.

Telecom stakeholders have been steadily ramping up their lobbying efforts ahead of the government's review of the $39 billion merger that would leave AT&T and Verizon as the dominant wireless carriers, with Sprint a distant third. Consumer advocacy groups and Sprint are strongly opposed to the deal.

T-Mobile said Monday it lost a record number of subscribers in the first quarter of 2011, and parent company Deutsche Telekom has indicated it will not be make the necessary investments to make the firm competitive with Verizon and AT&T, making a takeover the company's best chance at survival.

According to the announcement, Ogilvy senior vice presidents Ryan Thompson and Mike Hogan will be the lead lobbyists on the account. Thompson joined Ogilvy after serving as chief of staff for Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla). Hogan previously worked as deputy chief of staff for Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.).