FCC Should take Action to Enhance Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                   Contact: Lucy Tutwiler
May 24, 2012                                                                                                             (202) 449-9866

FCC Should take Action to Enhance Competition

Washington, DC – Today, in filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission), CCA – The Competitive Carriers Association urged the Commission to take necessary action to enhance competition in the wireless marketplace.  In the two most recent Wireless Competition Reports the FCC has been unable to declare that the wireless industry is effectively competitive.  The FCC should continue to recognize the lack of competition in its Sixteenth Report and should take action to implement pro-competitive policies.

In a statement, CCA President & CEO Steven K. Berry said, “The dominance of AT&T and Verizon is getting steadily worse, and the duopoly’s control over critical inputs continues to be detrimental to competition and consumers.  As with its previous two wireless competition reports, I don’t see how the FCC could find the wireless industry effectively competitive without data roaming, interoperability and spectrum policies in place to support a competitive ecosystem.”

Berry continued, “The large carriers paint a misleading picture of the mobile wireless marketplace. As a result of control over all critical industry inputs, growth among competitive carriers has been stunted.  Competitive carriers are investing in network upgrades, but the amount of investment is constrained by the lack of access to 4G LTE-ready spectrum and 4G LTE devices.  It is essential that the FCC take action to prevent the largest two carriers from restricting competitors and new entrants from accessing these critical inputs.  I hope the Commission will see through AT&T and Verizon’s claims that the mobile wireless industry is competitive.  The FCC should again determine the market is not effectively competitive, and I look forward to working with the Commission and its efforts to restore competition.”

About CCA

CCA is the nation’s leading association for competitive wireless providers serving rural and regional areas of the United States. The licensed service area of CCA’s more than 100 members covers 95 percent of the nation.