AT&T Slams DOJ, Calls Its FCC Guidelines Unlawful
Apr 25, 2013, 2:29 PM by Eric M. Zeman
AT&T today said that recommendations made earlier this month by the Department of Justice regarding future spectrum auctions are illegal and should be ignored by the Federal Communications Commission. The Justice Department suggested to the FCC that it set up rules to prevent the nation's largest holders of spectrum from amassing more in future auctions. Further, the Justice Department argued that the nation's smaller carriers be given a fair chance to purchase low-frequency spectrum to combat the massive 700MHz holdings owned by AT&T and Verizon Wireless. In a letter to the FCC, AT&T senior EVP and General Counsel Wayne Watts wrote, "It is surprising that the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice would even propose measures that are so nakedly designed to help specific companies. The Commission's mandate under the Communications Act is to promote the competitive process, not to pick winners and losers in that process. Rigging spectrum auctions to favor Sprint and T-Mobile would be unlawful." Watts lays out 10 pages worth of scathing arguments and discussion about what he calls uninformed musings by the Justice Department. Watts concludes by saying, "The record overwhelmingly supports spectrum aggregation policies that apply equally to all providers by employing a safe harbor spectrum screen that includes, and treats equally, all suitable available spectrum. A spectrum screen ... coupled with case-by-case review for transactions that exceed the screen, strikes the appropriate regulatory balance The Department's contrary view of an auction that is designed to favor particular competitors would be unlawful and completely unwarranted as a matter of public policy and should be rejected."
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Comments
Figures.
First) How did I know it would be AT&T throwing a fit?
Secondly) Mr. Watts is falsely defining the Anti-trust issue at hand as the DOJ is doing exactly what is in the best interest to protect consumer property from possibly being abused as an extreme anti-competitive measure.
John B.
Sounds like whining to me, pretty much. I would want this regulation to pass.
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They were all small once...
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Totally Agreed
The two largest companies have enjoyed basking in paradise while the smaller companies have laid claim that those with the most money will always be able to purchase more goods.
John B.
