AT&T deal for T-Mobile under scrutiny

WASHINGTON - The effect on competition, pricing and consumer choice of AT&T Inc's proposed acquisition of Deutsche Telekom AG's T-Mobile USA will be examined at a US congressional hearing on Wednesday where top executives are due to appear.

AT&T has touted fewer dropped calls and faster data speeds to entice consumer and policymaker support for its $39 billion bid to acquire T-Mobile.

AT&T Chief Executive Randall Stephenson and T-Mobile USA CEO Philipp Humm are scheduled to appear before the Senate's antitrust subcommittee to defend the deal that would concentrate 80 percent of US wireless contract customers in just two companies - AT&T/T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless.