Critics Get Their Say on Verizon/Cable Spectrum Sale

As we hope Headlines readers well know, on December 19, 2011, Verizon Wireless and SpectrumCo filed an application for the consent of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to the assignment of 122 Advanced Wireless Services (“AWS” -- the 1710-1755/2110-2155 MHz bands) licenses from SpectrumCo to Verizon Wireless. The 122 licenses cover 120 markets. The parties claim that the transaction will transfer unused spectrum to meet Verizon Wireless' growing demand for mobile broadband. We hope, too, that readers know we’ve been tracking the review of this transaction by regulators. You may know, too, that the Benton Foundation -- in a joint petition with Public Knowledge, Media Access Project, the New America Foundation Open Technology Initiative, Access Humboldt, Center for Rural Strategies, Future of Music Coalition, National Consumer Law Center, and Writers Guild of America West – has asked the FCC to block the transaction. This past week was a first deadline for the public to tell the FCC about their concerns about the transaction.