T-Mobile/UScellular Opponents Continue Drumbeat of Opposition
Opponents of T-Mobile’s proposed buy of wireless assets from UScellular met with an aide to FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks about their concerns, which were consistent with those expressed in earlier meetings at the commission (see 2503210032). The Rural Wireless Association, EchoStar, Communications Workers of America, Public Knowledge and New America’s Open Technology Institute participated in the virtual meeting, said a filing posted Friday in docket 24-286.
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The deal opponents “highlighted the troubling conduct by UScellular, who appears to be prematurely acting as though the proposed transaction has already received Commission approval -- evidenced by employee layoffs and the filing of [eligible telecommunications carrier] relinquishment notices -- raising serious concerns about their posturing and disregard for administrative law due process,” the filing said. The deal was announced a year ago (see 2405300053).
Meanwhile, other providers filed data at the FCC last week, requested by the agency as it reviews the transaction (see 2504230019). The filings were heavily redacted.
“The Proposed Transaction is part of an overall trend of increased consolidation in the wireless industry by the ‘Big 3’ nationwide wireless providers: Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, and AT&T,” Comcast told the regulator. It cited concerns DOJ raised on T-Mobile’s earlier buy of Sprint: “The market for retail mobile wireless services in the United States is highly concentrated and would become even more so. … The elimination of a fourth national facilities-based mobile wireless carrier would remove competition from Sprint and restructure the retail mobile wireless service market.”