Wednesday, June 27, 2012

A Good Spectrum Deal for Consumers


It's worth taking special note of the spectrum swap deal announced on Monday by T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless because it is a positive development. Here is an AP story on the deal that explains what each provider is getting and giving up. 
When the deal was announced, here is a statement I gave to the press:
"Foremost, the spectrum swap announcement by Verizon and T-Mobile is good for consumers because it should result in getting additional spectrum in use for 4G broadband services sooner rather than later. It paves the way for T-Mobile to become a stronger competitor, which is a positive for consumers. And it ought to mean the Commission acts with dispatch to approve the Verizon-SpectrumCo transaction." 
If the FCC approves the transaction, T-Mobile will be able to be a stronger competitor in the wireless broadband marketplace and this is good for consumers. 
And it is also good for consumers when marketplace participants are allowed to negotiate spectrum swaps in the secondary market without having the FCC dictate its own preferred market outcomes. 
With no one seriously disputing the looming spectrum crunch, for the sake of meeting the rapidly growing consumer demand for wireless broadband services, the FCC needs to make it a priority to approve promptly both the Verizon Wireless-SpectrumCo and T-Mobile-Verizon Wireless spectrum transactions.