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Competitive Concerns Remain Despite Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile Agreement
[June 26, 2012]

Competitive Concerns Remain Despite Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile Agreement


(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) WASHINGTON, June 25 -- The Rural Cellular Association issued the following news release: Today, Verizon Wireless announced an agreement with T-Mobile USA to exchange spectrum in the AWS band, an agreement contingent upon the closing of the proposed Verizon/SpectrumCo/Leap transitions. RCA - The Competitive Carriers Association is pleased a competitive carrier may get access to additional spectrum, but serious competitive concerns remain, as issues such as interoperability and data roaming await final decision by the Federal Communications Commission.



"I'm glad to see a competitive carrier may get access to some of the spectrum that Verizon Wireless has proposed to purchase as part of the SpectrumCo and Leap transactions," said RCA President & CEO Steven K. Berry, "however, this reaffirms our concern that Verizon Wireless will hold more spectrum than they currently plan to use, and some of their spectrum should go to competitive carriers. T-Mobile is one carrier that certainly will benefit from additional spectrum, and I understand that T-Mobile is more than willing to discuss with other competitive carriers the possibility of access to certain blocks of the spectrum." Berry continued, "This announcement doesn't diminish the need for the FCC to impose other conditions on the SpectrumCo transactions including interoperability and data roaming requirements; the FCC should consider mitigating the competitive harms. We'll have to look closer at the actual markets and amounts of spectrum that are part of this spectrum sale and swamp. This, with the 700 MHz Verizon has promised to sell, gives the FCC ample opportunity to promote competitive conditions we've requested." TNS JF78JF-120626-3926342 EditorFurigay (c) 2012 Targeted News Service

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