Department of Justice may take a deeper probe into AT&T and T-Mobile deal

An in-depth investigation will be conducted by the Justice Department to learn whether AT&T's plan to buy of T-Mobile USA break anti-trust laws, says the source familiar with the case.

Justice Department spokeswoman Gina Talamona declined to confirm that the antitrust division had deepened its probe. "Our investigation is ongoing," she added.

As a result of AT&T’s merger with Deutsche Telekom AG's T-Mobile USA 80% of US wireless contract customers would be concentrated in just two companies: AT&T/T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group Plc.

The US Justice Department can take a quick look at a deal and approve it within 30 days, a process called an early termination. Or it can issue a so-called second request, indicating that the antitrust investigation is likely to be prolonged.