[NEWS] VZW finally gets 700 MHz assets

[elboriyorker]

The Federal Communications Commission gave final clearance to Verizon Wireless’ $4.7 billion purchase of a nationwide collection of regional licenses at the 700 MHz auction earlier this year, refusing Google Inc.’s request to impose a stronger open-access condition and revising a key component of its merger review policy.

The FCC action, which also requires the new No. 1 wireless provider to divest 10 megahertz in a New Jersey market, follows the agency’s approval of the $28 billion Verizon Wireless-Alltel Communications L.L.C. merger and cellular association CTIA’s withdrawal of a legal challenge to the C-Block open-access provision.

The 700 MHz licenses picked up by Verizon Wireless resulted in the carrier exceeding the 95-megahertz threshold in 17 markets, but after further review, the FCC concluded the newly acquired spectrum would not pose competitive harm in those markets. At the same time, the FCC said in the future it would count spectrum won at auctions toward the 95-megahertz spectrum screen. In recent merger rulings and continuing through its ruling on Verizon Wireless’ 700 MHz licenses, the FCC has not factored spectrum acquired at auctions into the 95-megahertz screen because winning bidders have been unable — for a variety reasons — to immediately secure the airwaves from the government to put it into operation.

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[D/\SH]

Re: VZW finally gets 700 MHz assets

The Federal Communications Commission gave final clearance to Verizon Wireless’ $4.7 billion purchase of a nationwide collection of regional licenses at the 700 MHz auction earlier this year, refusing Google Inc.’s request to impose a stronger open-access condition and revising a key component of its merger review policy.

The FCC action, which also requires the new No. 1 wireless provider to divest 10 megahertz in a New Jersey market, follows the agency’s approval of the $28 billion Verizon Wireless-Alltel Communications L.L.C. merger and cellular association CTIA’s withdrawal of a legal challenge to the C-Block open-access provision.

The 700 MHz licenses picked up by Verizon Wireless resulted in the carrier exceeding the 95-megahertz threshold in 17 markets, but after further review, the FCC concluded the newly acquired spectrum would not pose competitive harm in those markets. At the same time, the FCC said in the future it would count spectrum won at auctions toward the 95-megahertz spectrum screen. In recent merger rulings and continuing through its ruling on Verizon Wireless’ 700 MHz licenses, the FCC has not factored spectrum acquired at auctions into the 95-megahertz screen because winning bidders have been unable — for a variety reasons — to immediately secure the airwaves from the government to put it into operation.

[Read More]

all i can say is that google got owned lmfao