US: DOJ presses competition wireless auction

The Department of Justice said Wednesday that the Federal Communications Commission should give “considerable weight” to competition concerns when deciding whether to expand the block of wireless spectrum reserved for smaller carriers in a coming auction.

The size of the reserve is the subject of a public fight between T-Mobile and the two largest players in wireless, AT&T and Verizon.

The FCC is preparing to auction off a significant block of spectrum, the airwaves that carry signals and data to cellphones. Last year, commissioners reserved 30 megahertz for smaller carriers.

But T-Mobile has said that the reserve should be 40 megahertz. It argues that a reserve of that size will allow two, rather than one, smaller carriersto get enough spectrum to compete with AT&T and Verizon — improving competition in the wireless market.

In the Wednesday letter, the chief of the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice seemed supportive of T-Mobile’s case.

“The Department recognizes that the Commission must balance competing policy priorities in setting the appropriate reserve levels,” said Assistant Attorney General William Baer in the letter.

Full content: CNet

Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.