Press Release
Public Interest Groups Call on FCC to Combine Review of AT&T Acquisitions
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
WASHINGTON -- On Wednesday, Free Press, Media Access Project, Public Knowledge, Consumers Union and the Open Technology Initiative of the New America Foundation filed a letter with the Federal Communications Commission asking the agency to combine its review of AT&T's $39 billion takeover of competitor T-Mobile with its evaluation of AT&T's $1.9 billion spectrum purchase from Qualcomm.
Click here to view the letter: http://www.freepress.net/files/Qualcomm_Consolidation_Filing.pdf
In today's letter, the groups note that even greater harm will be generated if AT&T is permitted to acquire T-Mobile, and they ask the FCC either to promptly deny the transfer of Qualcomm licenses or, at a minimum, to consolidate the review of the two proposed acquisitions.The groups previously filed a formal petition to deny in the Qualcomm proceeding, arguing that AT&T already holds disproportionate market power and prime spectrum licenses.
The public interest groups made the following joint statement:
"The proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile would reshape the entire American wireless industry in a single stroke. Combined with the proposed transfer of Qualcomm spectrum licenses, approval of these transactions would further enable AT&T to suppress competition, stifle innovation and harm consumers. At a minimum, the FCC should combine its review of both the merger and license transfer in order to properly assess the joint impact of both transactions on the wireless market."
Click here to view the letter: http://www.freepress.net/files/Qualcomm_Consolidation_Filing.pdf
In today's letter, the groups note that even greater harm will be generated if AT&T is permitted to acquire T-Mobile, and they ask the FCC either to promptly deny the transfer of Qualcomm licenses or, at a minimum, to consolidate the review of the two proposed acquisitions.The groups previously filed a formal petition to deny in the Qualcomm proceeding, arguing that AT&T already holds disproportionate market power and prime spectrum licenses.
The public interest groups made the following joint statement:
"The proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile would reshape the entire American wireless industry in a single stroke. Combined with the proposed transfer of Qualcomm spectrum licenses, approval of these transactions would further enable AT&T to suppress competition, stifle innovation and harm consumers. At a minimum, the FCC should combine its review of both the merger and license transfer in order to properly assess the joint impact of both transactions on the wireless market."
