Sprint, T-Mobile Want FCC to Eye AT&T's Spectrum Spree
Oct 10, 2014, 7:45 AM by Eric M. Zeman
Sprint, T-Mobile, and others want the FCC to "carefully scrutinize" a number of AT&T's proposed low-band spectrum acquisitions. AT&T has asked the FCC for permission to purchase 700MHz spectrum from a range of small companies around the country. AT&T's competitors argue its low-band spectrum purchases should trigger the FCC's spectrum screen and require extra examination for their effects on competition. Low-band spectrum is highly valued for its propagation characteristics, and AT&T and Verizon Wireless already control a significant amount of low-band spectrum around the country. Sprint and T-Mobile claim the FCC has yet to fully define what triggers the spectrum screen with small-scale deals. They believe AT&T is taking advantage of the FCC's lack of clarity on the issue. AT&T responded by saying, "AT&T is confident that after a careful, enhanced factor review, the Bureau will conclude that both of these small deals will cause no harm to competition and will result in significant public interest benefits."
Comments
Coming from a company with more spectrum than all other 3 companies COMBINED
They could realistically carry about 10 phones and call it good - instead all the carriers load up with like 30 plus phones - half of which don't sell and there's zero to little demand. It's a purposeless phone essentially.
Then here comes the funny part, someone will end up buying one of those junk phones, only to be disappointed and then blame the compa...
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Understandable But,
Again, I do believe AT&T and VZW have their fair share of low band spectrum and the FCC should review the bidding limitations, but the 600 mhz auction is a huge deal. This is where Sprint should, and I believe will, place the money they saved by not purchasing Tmobile, to heavily bid on the 600mhz.
John B.