Mobile500 Concerned About AT&T-T-Mobile Merger

The Mobile500 Alliance, a consortium of commercial and noncommercial broadcast television stations promoting mobile digital TV, says that if the Federal Communications Commission approves the AT&T/T-Mobile merger, it should condition that transaction on the new companies' agreement that it offer and promote broadcast mobile DTV on its voice and data networks, with hardware and software in devices to receive it.

In comments filed with the FCC on AT&T's proposed $39 billion deal, Mobile500 said the goal should be to ensure that at least half of all devices sold for use on the combined company's networks be mobile DTV capable by 2013. It also wants the FCC to require AT&T/T-Mobile to ensure broadcasters have unimpeded access to viewership data and usage information for their service and acknowledge that audience measurement and usage data is the property of the broadcast content distributor.