T-Mobile, public interest groups oppose Verizon, cable deal

News General United States 22 FEB 2012
T-Mobile, public interest groups oppose Verizon, cable deal
T-Mobile USA as well as a number of public interest groups have asked the FCC to block Verizon's proposed acquisition of spectrum from a number of cable operators. In a filing to the FCC reported by the Wall Street Journal, T-Mobile said the deal would allow Verizon to strengthen its already dominant position and shut out smaller operators from growing their spectrum holdings. Mobile operators Sprint and MetroPCS also filed comments to the FCC, expressing similar concerns about Verizon amassing too much spectrum. Separately nine public interest groups, led by Public Knowledge, made a filing with the FCC asking the regulator to block the acquisitions by Verizon. They are also concerned about Verizon's growing stockpile of spectrum. In addition, they are concerned its agreements for co-marketing its mobile services with the cable operators would mean it would no longer compete against the cable companies in fixed-line services and could even actively collude with the companies to divide up markets. Verizon announced in December the agreements to buy almost USD 4 billion in spectrum from Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks and Cox Communications. It has already started the co-marketing agreement with Comcast. Earlier Verizon's main union CWA asked the FCC to impose conditions on the marketing deal to ensure competition and investment in broadband services are maintained.

Categories:

General

Companies:

Sprint,  Comcast,  Cox Communications,  FCC,  MetroPCS,  Time Warner Cable,  T-Mobile USA,  Verizon,  Bright House Networks

Countries:

United States

Tags:

Voice services, Cooperations & alliances, Regulations, Wireline, Wireless, Internet Access, Wholesale, M&A buyouts & divestments

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