Verizon/SpectrumCo

Public Knowledge Calls on FCC to Stop Verizon and AT&T Spectrum Sale

Issues: 

Today Verizon announced plans to sell 39 lower 700 MHz B block licenses to AT&T. Previously, Verizon had offered to sell this spectrum in order to make its purchase of significant spectrum licenses from SpectrumCo, a group of cable companies, more palatable to the FCC.

At the time Public Knowledge warned the FCC during Verizon's purchase of spectrum from several cable companies that even if Verizon sold some of its existing spectrum to offset the public interest harms of the transaction, much of that spectrum would likely be sold to AT&T instead of smaller carriers. If AT&T acquired most of spectrum being offered by Verizon, Public Knowledge cautioned, the sales would not actually benefit consumer or competition in the wireless market.

The following statement may be attributed to Harold Feld, Senior Vice President:

Decision Upholding FCC's Data Roaming Order is a Win for Wireless Users

Today, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the Federal Communications Commission's "Data Roaming Order," which requires that wireless carriers offer data (wireless Internet access) roaming services to other carriers on "commercially reasonable terms." This allows wireless users to use all the functions of their phones even in places where their carriers might not have coverage. The court's decision is linked here.

The following statement can be attributed to John Bergmayer, Senior Staff Attorney at Public Knowledge:

DOJ Releases Confidential Information; Verizon/Cable Deal As Bad As We Thought

As we process the FCC’s approval of the deal between Verizon, Comcast, and other cable companies, it’s worth taking a closer look at the actual agreements, based on the details that the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently released in its analysis of the deal.  Although the DOJ expressed concerns about the deals it still decided to approve it.

On August 16, 2012 the Department of Justice announced its approval of the Verizon/SpectrumCo Deal, a disappointing outcome for those of us fighting for greater competition in the broadband marketplace.  Check out Jodie Griffin’s thorough analysis for a full rundown of Public Knowledge’s concerns with the DOJ approval, including the conditions imposed on Verizon and the cable companies. 



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As we process the FCC’s approval of the deal between Verizon, Comcast, and other cable companies, it’s worth taking a closer look at the actual agreements, based on the details that the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently released in its analysis of the deal.  Although the DOJ expressed concerns about the deals it still decided to approve it.

On August 16, 2012 the Department of Justice announced its approval of the Verizon/SpectrumCo Deal, a disappointing outcome for those of us fighting for greater competition in the broadband marketplace.  Check out Jodie Griffin’s thorough analysis for a full rundown of Public Knowledge’s concerns with the DOJ approval, including the conditions imposed on Verizon and the cable companies. 

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As we process the FCC’s approval of the deal between Verizon, Comcast, and other cable companies, it’s worth taking a closer look at the actual agreements, based on the details that the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently released in its analysis of the deal.  Although the DOJ expressed concerns about the deals it still decided to approve it.

On August 16, 2012 the Department of Justice announced its approval of the Verizon/SpectrumCo Deal, a disappointing outcome for those of us fighting for greater competition in the broadband marketplace.  Check out Jodie Griffin’s thorough analysis for a full rundown of Public Knowledge’s concerns with the DOJ approval, including the conditions imposed on Verizon and the cable companies. 

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As we process the FCC’s approval of the deal between Verizon, Comcast, and other cable companies, it’s worth taking a closer look at the actual agreements, based on the details that the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently released in its analysis of the deal.  Although the DOJ expressed concerns about the deals it still decided to approve it.

On August 16, 2012 the Department of Justice announced its approval of the Verizon/SpectrumCo Deal, a disappointing outcome for those of us fighting for greater competition in the broadband marketplace.  Check out Jodie Griffin’s thorough analysis for a full rundown of Public Knowledge’s concerns with the DOJ approval, including the conditions imposed on Verizon and the cable companies. 

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FCC Approval of Verizon/Cable Deal Highlights Lack of Broadband Competition

Background: Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the application of Verizon, Comcast, and other cable companies to transfer spectrum, cross-market each other’s products and establish a Joint Operating Entity to develop and control new technology. Last week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a proposed settlement with the same companies, subject to a number of conditions designed to limit the anticompetitive effects of the agreements.

The FCC's Order can be found here.

The following statement can be attributed to Gigi B. Sohn, President & CEO of Public Knowledge:

FCC Grants Public Knowledge Confidentiality Challenge in Verizon/Cable Proceeding

Background: Today, the FCC granted Public Knowledge's challenge to Verizon and SpectrumCo's designation of parts of their Joint Operating Entity ("JOE") Agreement as highly confidential, marking the documents as only confidential instead. The provisions at issue related to the governance structure of the JOE.

The following statement can be attributed to Jodie Griffin, Staff Attorney at Public Knowledge.

"We applaud the FCC for recognizing that Verizon and SpectrumCo have claimed highly confidential protection for parts of the agreements that did not deserve such protection. While we believe the sections establishing the governance of the JOE do not deserve confidentiality protection at all and should be made public, we are glad that the new lower level of protection will allow parties that could be affected by the transaction to more comprehensively review the documents.

PK In The Know Podcast: Google Search, VZ-SpectrumCo, Twitter, and Campaign Music



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On today's podcast, we discuss changes to Google's search, the Verizon/Spectrum Co. agreement to divide up the internet access market, changes to Twitter's API, and campaign music fights.  We also celebrate the success of Musopen (previous interview here) and music in the public domain.

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On today's podcast, we discuss changes to Google's search, the Verizon/Spectrum Co. agreement to divide up the internet access market, changes to Twitter's API, and campaign music fights.  We also celebrate the success of Musopen (previous interview here) and music in the public domain.

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You are missing some Flash content that should appear here! Perhaps your browser cannot display it, or maybe it did not initialize correctly.

On today's podcast, we discuss changes to Google's search, the Verizon/Spectrum Co. agreement to divide up the internet access market, changes to Twitter's API, and campaign music fights.  We also celebrate the success of Musopen (previous interview here) and music in the public domain.

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Verizon/Cable Settlement with DOJ: A Closer Look

Today, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it will allow, with conditions, Verizon, Comcast, and other cable companies to cross-market each other’s products and establish a Joint Operating Entity to develop and control new technology. As part of the deal Verizon will also buy a substantial amount of wireless spectrum from the cable companies. Although only the DOJ's proposed settlement is officially available (pdf), the FCC is also expected to approve the deal next week with similar conditions. On the whole, these conditions fail to adequately address the many harms threatened by the deal, and the approval of this deal raises significant questions for the future of broadband competition policy going forward.



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Today, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it will allow, with conditions, Verizon, Comcast, and other cable companies to cross-market each other’s products and establish a Joint Operating Entity to develop and control new technology. As part of the deal Verizon will also buy a substantial amount of wireless spectrum from the cable companies. Although only the DOJ's proposed settlement is officially available (pdf), the FCC is also expected to approve the deal next week with similar conditions. On the whole, these conditions fail to adequately address the many harms threatened by the deal, and the approval of this deal raises significant questions for the future of broadband competition policy going forward.

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Today, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it will allow, with conditions, Verizon, Comcast, and other cable companies to cross-market each other’s products and establish a Joint Operating Entity to develop and control new technology. As part of the deal Verizon will also buy a substantial amount of wireless spectrum from the cable companies. Although only the DOJ's proposed settlement is officially available (pdf), the FCC is also expected to approve the deal next week with similar conditions. On the whole, these conditions fail to adequately address the many harms threatened by the deal, and the approval of this deal raises significant questions for the future of broadband competition policy going forward.

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Today, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it will allow, with conditions, Verizon, Comcast, and other cable companies to cross-market each other’s products and establish a Joint Operating Entity to develop and control new technology. As part of the deal Verizon will also buy a substantial amount of wireless spectrum from the cable companies. Although only the DOJ's proposed settlement is officially available (pdf), the FCC is also expected to approve the deal next week with similar conditions. On the whole, these conditions fail to adequately address the many harms threatened by the deal, and the approval of this deal raises significant questions for the future of broadband competition policy going forward.

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Conditions on Verizon/Cable Deal Are Not Enough to Protect Competition

Background: Today, the DoJ announced that it will allow, with conditions, Verizon and a group of cable companies to cross-market each other’s products and establish a Joint Operating Entity to develop and control new technology. Verizon will also acquire large blocks of wireless spectrum formerly held by the cable companies. The FCC is also expected to approve the deal next week with similar conditions.

The following statement can be attributed to Gigi B. Sohn, President & CEO of Public Knowledge:

By allowing Verizon and the cable companies to sell each other's services, the DoJ and the FCC are acknowledging what has been clear for some time--that broadband competition policy in the United States has failed. For years, policymakers have hoped that "facilities-based" competition between wired broadband providers would protect consumers, drive down prices, and encourage new deployment. It is clear that this promise has not been fulfilled.

VZ-SpectrumCo Settlement Terms

August 16, 2012

This file is available as a pdf.

July 31 Letter from Senator Franken on Verizon/SpectrumCo

July 31, 2012

Letter from Sen. Franken to Chairman Genachowski and AG Holder expressing concern about Verizon/SpectrumCo deal. This file is available as a pdf.