House Democrats Urge Scrutiny of Verizon-Cable Deals

A group of House Democrats called on federal regulators to closely scrutinize Verizon Wireless' bid to buy spectrum from and enter into marketing agreements with a group of cable firms, saying the deals could threaten the competitive goals of the 1996 Telecommunications Act.

"It was the intent of Congress in the act to promote competition between telephone and cable companies," according to a letter signed by Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), a senior member of the House Commerce Committee, Judiciary ranking member John Conyers (D-MI), and five other House Democrats. The letter was sent to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski and Attorney General Eric Holder. "Following the enactment of the act, a new boom of innovation and competition was unleashed, resulting in hundreds of billions of dollars of new private sector investment thanks to broadband revolution initiated by the statue. To fulfill the purpose and promise of the act, it is essential that competition and consumer choice continue to animate our nation's communications policies," the lawmakers added. The lawmakers, however, did not call for the deals to be blocked and instead called on the FCC and Justice Department to examine how the deals will impact telecommunications competition.