Debating a Spectrum Deal

By Brad

While efforts to allocate more spectrum for wireless use are moving forward at a relatively slow pace, The Hill‘s Brendan Sasso reports one company’s efforts to bolster its amount of spectrum is facing hurdles with the FCC:

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced Thursday it will probe portions of the agreement between Verizon and a coalition of cable companies to cross-sell each other’s services as part of its broader review of the companies’ spectrum deal.

“After an initial review of the proposed spectrum license transfers as well as the commercial agreements between Verizon Wireless and several cable companies, the Commission staff has concluded that portions of the commercial agreements are inseparable from the proposed license transfer and related wireless competition issues,” an FCC spokesman said. “Consequently, those portions of the commercial agreements will be examined within the license transfer proceeding.”

Earlier this week, Sasso also writes, Verizon argued the FCC “lacks the legal authority to review the commercial deals.” The commission, obviously, disagrees. Stay tuned…