Verizon-cable companies spectrum sale

Verizon told the Federal Communications that T-Mobile is two-faced in opposing the SpectrumCo deal because its parent company is telling investors it has excess network capacity while T-Mobile is telling the FCC it has too little.

Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), chairman of the Senate antitrust panel, is raising fresh questions about Verizon’s proposal to buy spectrum from cable providers following the company’s decision to stop offering DSL Internet as a stand-alone service.

The Federal Communications Commission seeks additional information from Verizon about an announcement the company will conduct “an open sale process for all of its 700 MHz A and B spectrum licenses in order to rationalize its spectrum holdings.” Verizon said the sale is contingent of the close of its proposed purchase of spectrum from cable operators. The FCC has two questions (in 5 parts) and requests a reply by May 22, 2012.

On May 7, 2012, the Senate approved the nominations of Ajit Pai and Jessica Rosenworcel to serve as commissioners at the Federal Communications Commission. President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Pai and Rosenworcel back on October 31, 2011 and the nominations were soon sent to the Senate. On May 8, the Benton Foundation was proud to publish an op-ed by former FCC Commissioner Michael Copps who gave his take on what we can expect of an incoming FCC commissioner. Part of the pride Benton took in publishing Commissioner Copps’ expectations of FCC commissioners is that they so well align with our long-stated mission to identify and promote policy solutions that support access, diversity and equity, and ensure that media and telecommunications serve the public interest and enhance our democracy. So we believe Commissioner Copps’ op-ed provides an excellent lens through which to view some of the policy decisions that face the new FCC. Here’s a quick look at just a few of the issues that popped up in Headlines this week that the FCC will be addressing in the months ahead.

Consumer group Public Knowledge asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to publicly reveal details about Verizon's plan to launch a joint research operation with a group of cable companies.

Verizon Wireless’s $3.6 billion plan to buy airwaves from cable providers has raised concerns with US regulators that the purchase may harm competition in the wireless market, three people familiar with the matter said.

Allowing proposed multibillion-dollar airwave deals between Verizon Wireless and several cable operators could mean the end of a competitive telecommunications landscape, saddling consumers with higher prices and diminished choice, the Communications Workers of America told the Federal Communications Commission.

Deutsche Telekom CEO René Obermann personally pressed Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski to block a spectrum deal between Verizon and cable companies, according to documents filed with the FCC.

Verizon rebutted several main criticisms of its proposed deal with a coalition of cable companies in a filing with the Federal Communications Commission.

Verizon and four cable companies are willing to reformat documents they submitted to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prevent technical issues from derailing the agency's review of their $3.6 billion deal.

T-Mobile says Verizon and its SpectrumCo cable partners are “throwing up a smokescreen” in the face of opposition to a proposed spectrum agreement. A T-Mobile spokesman said that “SpectrumCo has not raised anything new that has not already been addressed by T-Mobile in this proceeding."

Cable operators looking to sell their advanced wireless spectrum to Verizon for just south of $4 billion have told the Federal Communications Commission that there is no reason to stop the clock on its vetting of the deal.

Verizon hasn’t exactly done a bang-up job selling its critics on the merits of its 4G spectrum consolidation plans.

Verizon has clearly studied everything AT&T did wrong last year when it tried to acquire T-Mobile. That includes staying alert for early signs of trouble and taking preemptive moves to keep the course of approval running smoothly. It also includes showing grace under fire rather than trying to browbeat the Federal Communications Commission into submission.