Reps Waxman and Eshoo Call for Hearing on Spectrum Transactions

House Commerce Committee Ranking Member Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Ranking Member Anna Eshoo (D-CA) sent a letter to Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) requesting a hearing on recently announced spectrum transactions involving Verizon’s proposed acquisition of Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum licenses from several cable companies as well as Verizon’s conditional sale of the company’s 700 MHz A and B block licenses. The pair said they have not taken any position on the deals, but said it was important to hear testimony and consider the policy implications of the transactions, which Verizon says will free up unused spectrum for the benefit of consumers and critics say will increase concentration and decrease competition among cable and wireless companies.