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battleop
join:2005-09-28
00000

battleop

Member

If you really want competition...

Then this is what it will take. Level the field for the small guy and start ups so they can compete with the companies with billion dollar deep pockets and staff politicians.

n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY

n2jtx

Member

I agree. The only reason AT&T and Verizon are able to gobble up chunks of spectrum now is because many years ago they were given preferential treatment by the government, first in wireline and then in wireless, which allowed them to reach critical mass and grow to become the behemoths they are now. The old Bell companies were given 800MHz spectrum for free back in the 1980's.

While I am all for free market principles, the fact that the damage was already done by the government means the government is going to need to correct it. Allowing things to proceed as they are now to the point where AT&T and Verizon could conceivably wind up owning (technically licensing - the public "owns" the airwaves) 95% of all available spectrum will not help the consumer in any way shape or form.

Resell op
@comcast.net

Resell op to battleop

Anon

to battleop
said by battleop:

Then this is what it will take. Level the field for the small guy and start ups so they can compete with the companies with billion dollar deep pockets and staff politicians.

The move is sound by FCC, but it won't make any real difference. The small guys will buy the licenses and then resell them to AT&T and Verizon and make some very nice profits unless the rules also prevent resale.

battleop
join:2005-09-28
00000

battleop

Member

I can see the big guys abusing the system. They can let executives "retire" and start small companies to get spectrum that they will either sit on or lease back to their previous employer.

They need to include a use it or loose it clause without loopholes.