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FCC Mandates that AT&T and Verizon Allow Data Roaming

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What incentive do small carriers have...

T Bone

Apr 7, 2011, 1:53 PM
What possible incentive do small carriers have to spend money to build up their own networks if they can just leach of the large carriers free of charge?

The purpose of roaming agreements is to benefit TWO parties, the small carrier gets to increase their coverage area by roaming on the large network, and the large network get to expand their coverage area by roaming on the small networks. In addition, both carriers get the licensing fees for using the other carrier's towers.

Mandating one sided roaming agreements help one company while unfairly punishing the other company.

This is just plain BAD BUSINESS which seriously harms everyone who is a customer of at&t or Verizon.
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flagrantmisuse

Apr 7, 2011, 2:00 PM
i think the smaller carriers should pay a premium for their customers to be able to use a network they had no investment in. i also agree that the speeds roamers have access to shouldnt be what vzw and att customers enjoy.

those two addendums i'm sure could be worked in there somehow.
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Hitur Petar

Apr 7, 2011, 2:13 PM
Roaming for free. Where did it say that? You got it all wrong. They are required to allowing roaming. The rules come with the spectrum, and that belongs to the public, they are only renting it. The problem was, they were breaking the rules they agreed to by not allowing data roaming at ANY cost. Now they simply must comply with the rules they agreed to in advance and allow roaming for data at reasonable rates. Get over it.
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T Bone

Apr 7, 2011, 2:17 PM
"Roaming for free. Where did it say that? "

That's precisely the point of the ruling...that the large carriers are required to hand over parts of their network to small carriers and are not going to receive either reciprocal roaming rights or fair compensation in exchange for it. This is a requirement of surrender.
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Caucasian

Apr 7, 2011, 3:33 PM
No free roaming. It isn't free if they pay for it, RTFA.

They have to charge a reasonable price, IE probably what they charge anyone else currently.
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Hitur Petar

Apr 7, 2011, 5:28 PM
Thank you. That's what I was going to say. Btw, watch how you reply to certain posters, hint hint.
It clearly says they have to pay for the roaming. Nothing is free. Even if they did have to provide roaming free, if those were the rules when they bid on the spectrum and they knew it in advance, they still would have no room to cry about it later.

But no, they don't want the compensation for roaming they will get. They want no competition.
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jackshepard23

Apr 7, 2011, 2:17 PM
Smaller carriers can't just up and build networks in areas they wish to. In order for "smaller carriers" to establish a new market, they must acquire the spectrum for that desired market. Which is most likely already owned by Verizon. So yes, they have to strike up a roaming agreement with Big Red to allow their customers access while outside of their home area. This is not "bad business" it's the only way to provide solutions for their customer's. And you better believe that Verizon has roaming agreements with rural carriers in areas they struggle in. Should they not allow verizon to use their network?
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T Bone

Apr 7, 2011, 2:20 PM
I'm not taling about 'expanding into new markets' I'm talking about improving coverage in areas where they already have coverage.
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jackshepard23

Apr 7, 2011, 2:32 PM
This article applies to regional carriers using verizon and att's network outside of their own markets... Most rural carriers I know offer 3G speeds in their own markets. At least in the state where I live.
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Caucasian

Apr 7, 2011, 3:37 PM
That makes no sense, this ruling is for areas they *don't have coverage in*, what would that have to do with them building extra towers in an area they do have coverage already?
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Azeron

Apr 7, 2011, 3:52 PM
No. Not the data network. Not by government mandate. We get why voice roaming is mandated. There is no desperate need to surf the web that the government needs to get involved.
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Hitur Petar

Apr 7, 2011, 5:34 PM
The big boys want to roam anywhere THEY want and only on THEIR bully terms. They like to try and patch together a network using regional carriers and other network operators but to their clout against each individual company, not as a group.

Basically, they want the small guys dependent on their roaming fees, but not strong enough to demand reciprocal agreements.
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Azeron

Apr 7, 2011, 3:26 PM
Typically that's the only type of business government knows how to run else they'd be in the private sector making a killing rather than in the public sector.
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Hitur Petar

Apr 7, 2011, 5:36 PM
Of course, att and vzw could always go run any private business they wanted and not one that is dependent on public airwaves. Then, they would have less rules to follow.
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Versed

Apr 7, 2011, 5:39 PM
I don't think this is really a bad idea, both VZW and AT&T isn't going to be losing money on this deal, in fact they will make money on the terms. The FCC didn't say free access, or at cost. Just some vague idea of terms.
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