China may help T-Mobile and Sprint win over D.C.

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON: The fate of the merger between T-Mobile US and Sprint may hinge on an international contest rather than domestic competition. The $26 billion deal is rooted in the promise of a 5G buildout. The union of the two cellphone companies will cut down U.S. consumers’ options. But America’s race with China to take the lead in the next generation of mobile technology could win over watchdogs.

T-Mobile US Chief Executive John Legere will testify in front of members of Congress on Wednesday as the boss of the No. 3 U.S. carrier seeks to gain approval to buy SoftBank-backed Sprint, the fourth-largest. When the deal was announced last spring, the companies emphasized