The chief operating officer of Verizon Communications Inc. expects U.S. regulators to approve AT&T Inc.’s proposed $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA, Reuters reported.

Due to AT&T’s need for more wireless airwaves, Lowell McAdam, who is slated to become Verizon’s chief executive by the end of the year, said that the move might be a must for its competitor.

“I’d say the merger will probably go through,” McAdam said. “It’s a merger AT&T probably had to do.”

The acquisition is expected to take No. 2 U.S. mobile service AT&T and T-Mobile USA, the No. 4 U.S. mobile service, well ahead of current market leader Verizon Wireless, Reuters said.

Sprint Nextel Corp., the No. 3 U.S. mobile service, has been adamantly urging U.S. regulators to reject the proposed acquisition.