After their meet cute, AT&T and T-Mobile USA are suffering a long sequence of misunderstandings and obstacles in the romantic comedy that is their attempted merger. The latest speed bump in the path to everlasting togetherness comes from a ruling by a federal judge that Sprint and regional cell phone service provider C Spire Wireless are free to sue the Death Star.

According to the AP, the judge denied AT&T’s request that Sprint and C Spire’s suit be dismissed because the businesses lacked the rights to sue. The judge is allowing the companies to proceed over some claims, including the concern that the merger would cut them out of deals to carry hot new phones that draw customers.

AT&T released a snippy statement, saying “We believe the limited, minor claims they have left are entirely without merit.”

The judge threw out the companies’ claim that the deal would cause retail prices to go up because that outcome would hurt customers and not the businesses themselves. So thanks for looking out for us there, judge.

AT&T also continues to face the federal antitrust suit over the proposed merger.

Judge rules Sprint, C Spire can sue AT&T [AP]

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