Verizon: Paying Politicians to Rule the Air (g1a2d0047c1) (Photo credit: watchingfrogsboil)
By Brendan Sasso – Verizon‘s $3.6 billion deal with a coalition of cable companies is raising eyebrows in Washington and could come under intense regulatory scrutiny.
Verizon agreed in December to buy wireless airwave licenses, or spectrum, from a group of cable companies, including Comcast and Time Warner. Under a separate deal announced simultaneously, Verizon and the cable companies agreed to cross-sell each other’s services.
“This issue is going to attract a lot of review,” Harold Feld, legal director for consumer group Public Knowledge, said. He worried that the deal will allow Verizon, which is the largest wireless carrier, to consolidate its control of the airwaves.
“All of the spectrum seems to be running to the biggest provider,” Feld said. more> http://tinyurl.com/8ycv897
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