Australia blocks Telstra-TPG wireless internet deal, sparking legal fight

FILE PHOTO: A man looks at his phone as he walks past a Telstra logo adorning a phone booth in the central business district (CBD) of Sydney in Australia, February 13, 2018. REUTERS/David Gray

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's antitrust regulator blocked an asset transfer deal between Telstra and TPG, the country's No.1 and No.2 wireless internet firms, citing competition concerns, setting the scene for a legal battle over access to four million customers.

In a deal announced in May, Telstra Group was to buy spectrum - airwaves which carry wireless internet - and transmission towers from TPG Telecom Ltd, while TPG would keep selling 4G and 5G coverage using what would become Telstra's infrastructure. They did not give financial details.