Cable operators Comcast and Altice USA and satellite provider Dish Network are among bidders favoured by US regulators to acquire Sprint prepaid brand Boost Mobile, Bloomberg reported.

The Department of Justice believes the trio would be best placed to challenge mobile incumbents in the country and so maintain competition if it approves a merger of Sprint with T-Mobile US.

Sprint agreed to sell Boost Mobile as part of a deal to gain Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval for the merger. The pair reportedly face pressure from the DoJ to help establish a replacement operator as part of a number of conditions for it to clear the deal.

Comcast offers wireless service through an MVNO agreement with Verizon; Altice USA is preparing a virtual launch in partnership with Sprint; and Dish Network is plotting moves in 5G and IoT.

Fellow prepaid players Q Link Wireless and FreedomPop parent company STS Media have also expressed interest in Boost Mobile.

It is unclear if a legal challenge to the merger issued earlier this week will impact the DoJ’s decision, which is expected soon.