The Federal Communications Commission today
asked Verizon and its cable industry partners for detailed information
surrounding the $3.9 billion sale of spectrum held by the cable companies to
Verizon and about joint marketing agreements between Verizon and the cable
partners.
The following statement is attributed to
Gigi B. Sohn, president and CEO of Public Knowledge:
“We are very pleased that
the Commission is following an aggressive course in asking for more information
for a deal that could create a new communications cartel in this country.
“Verizon should be
required to show whether it is going to have spectrum shortages. Comcast should be required to provide
plans to prove it actually considered entering the wireless business. All of the companies should provide
full documents to show the extent of the joint marketing arrangements.
“We remain concerned,
however, that much of the information will be submitted under a protective
order and not available for public inspection. The Commission should make certain that a transaction like
this, which could reshape the national broadband market, receives the closest
scrutiny possible from the public.”
Note: the orders seeking
information have a March 8 deate, listed under the headings “Requests for
Information” and “Letter Seeking Revised Submission of
Documents” on this page:
http://transition.fcc.gov/transaction/verizonwireless-spectrumcocox.html#orders