T-Mobile, Sprint Pull Merger Request From California Regulator

T-Mobile US Inc. and Sprint Corp. may be preparing to close their merger without approval from the California Public Utilities Commission.

The companies Monday filed a motion to withdraw their application to combine wireline phone businesses in California. Approval is no longer needed because Sprint transitioned its wireline business to a Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP service, which isn’t regulated by the state, the companies said.

T-Mobile and Sprint have said they intend to complete their merger by April 1. The California utilities commission is on track to vote on the deal April 16.

“Certainly the maneuvering suggests the ...