T-Mobile Makes Case Against AT&T Buy of Spectrum From East Kentucky Network
T-Mobile asked the FCC to reject AT&T’s proposed buy of three lower 700 MHz C-block licenses from East Kentucky Network, said a filing on a meeting with staff from the Wireless Bureau and Office of General Counsel, posted Thursday in…
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docket 15-79. AT&T’s market share in some of the areas already approaches 60 percent, T-Mobile said. “Low-band spectrum offers one of the few -- if not the only -- opportunity for competitive carriers and new entrants to serve consumers in these areas cost effectively. Under these circumstances, dominant firms such as AT&T have the incentive and ability to raise their rivals’ costs through input monopolization: AT&T can acquire spectrum not only to put it to the firm’s own use, but also to withhold the resource from actual or potential competitors.” In June, T-Mobile filed a petition asking the FCC to reject the deal (see 1506230057). In response to the petition, AT&T said T-Mobile should stop complaining and start investing in spectrum in markets like those it hopes to buy from East Kentucky.