dslreports logo
 story category
FCC Again Hems, Haws Over Whether Wireless is Competitive
Spends Money on Mountains of Data -- Refuses to Analyze it
Each year the FCC releases a report on the wireless industry, and each year the reports tend to pull their punches and contain unhelpful, ambiguous language. For example, last year's report not "effectively competitive," then proceeds to insist that the FCC is not making any conclusions on whether the wireless industry is competitive. This year, despite the fact that the $39 billion AT&T T-Mobile deal will undeniably make the market less competitive, the FCC's annual wireless report (pdf) suffers from the exact same problems -- the agency being incapable or unwilling to take firm positions on industry issues. Here's the report's take on AT&T/T-Mobile:
quote:
"a merger can potentially form a stronger provider that restrains competitors from engaging in anticompetitive behavior, or may increase the likelihood that the merged firm may itself, or in coordination with other firms, would obtain or maintain market power."
There's lots of data here to parse through, but it's clear the FCC wants to make sure it doesn't actually look at said data, lest it come to any controversial conclusions. Here's the FCC's latest non-conclusion on whether there is adequate competition in the sector:
quote:
"the mobile wireless ecosystem is sufficiently complex and multi-faceted that it would not be meaningful to try to make a single, all inclusive finding regarding effective competition that adequately encompasses the level of competition in the various interrelated segments, types of services, and vast geographic areas of the mobile wireless industry."
Consumer advocates are concerned that the FCC couldn't acknowledge that AT&T and Verizon's growing dominance of wireless retail and the special access market is a competitive problem. On the flip side, wireless trade groups like the CTIA are annoyed the FCC didn't declare the sector robustly competitive. In short, these reports mirror the leadership style of FCC boss Julius Genachowski, who is building a legacy of a wishy-washy fence sitter who in an attempt to please everybody -- usually winds up pleasing nobody.
view:
topics flat nest 
gruntlord6
join:2010-06-10
Barrie, ON

gruntlord6

Member

Attempt to make everyone happy

Have everyone hate you.
nasadude
join:2001-10-05
Rockville, MD

1 recommendation

nasadude

Member

same as it ever was

just more proof the FCC is a totally captured regulatory agency and consumers are not going to be served by the FCC regardless of which party is in power.

wake up people, it's not republicans and democrats, it's corporatist politicians.
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

Re: same as it ever was

Wow, I actually agree with one of your posts. Now that's scary.

Anyway, yes, the FCC has proven its ineptitude time and time again, yet it remains in a position to continue doing nothing. It's proven itself incapable of even attending to one of its core mandates, spectrum management. Restructure, or defund, the FCC and lets get back to business.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: same as it ever was

said by openbox9:

Anyway, yes, the FCC has proven its ineptitude time and time again, yet it remains in a position to continue doing nothing. It's proven itself incapable of even attending to one of its core mandates, spectrum management. Restructure, or defund, the FCC and lets get back to business.

The FCC stopped being an independent agency managing the technical aspects of spectrum mgt a long time ago. They are now nothing but a White House controlled change agent tasked with carrying out policy initiatives.
nasadude
join:2001-10-05
Rockville, MD

nasadude

Member

Re: same as it ever was

the white house doesn't control the FCC, the companies it regulates control it - thru the white house (sometimes), thru congress (all the time) and thru the promise of making retiring commissioners rich by giving them very highly paid industry jobs.

coldmoon
Premium Member
join:2002-02-04
Fulton, NY

coldmoon to openbox9

Premium Member

to openbox9
said by openbox9:

Wow, I actually agree with one of your posts. Now that's scary.

Anyway, yes, the FCC has proven its ineptitude time and time again, yet it remains in a position to continue doing nothing. It's proven itself incapable of even attending to one of its core mandates, spectrum management. Restructure, or defund, the FCC and lets get back to business.

Wow, I actually agree (partly) with one of yours

While I agree the current FCC is ineffective and rife with capture and further, I agree the current FCC should go the way of the DODO, there needs to be something new created that has both authority and the means to implement/enforce that authority.

What you have now is the consequences of responsibility without the authority to carry out that responsibility = disaster and ineffectiveness.

Disband and bury the FCC, but create a new agency that can actually regulate the industry, bring competition, and be inherently capture-proof.

JMHO
Mike
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

Re: same as it ever was

said by coldmoon:

Wow, I actually agree (partly) with one of yours

I guess cats are sleeping with dogs and the end of the world has come early?
said by coldmoon:

there needs to be something new created that has both authority and the means to implement/enforce that authority.

I'll agree with you on that.

coldmoon
Premium Member
join:2002-02-04
Fulton, NY

coldmoon

Premium Member

Re: same as it ever was

said by openbox9:

said by coldmoon:

Wow, I actually agree (partly) with one of yours

I guess cats are sleeping with dogs and the end of the world has come early?
said by coldmoon:

there needs to be something new created that has both authority and the means to implement/enforce that authority.

I'll agree with you on that.

Ok - let us explore this new world of Détente and see what comes of it. If we agree on these points there might actually be a means to go forward. So what is your idea of a new structure/authority?
sandman_1
join:2011-04-23
11111

2 edits

sandman_1

Member

Competition or Collusion?

You ask me, there is no competition. Wireless plans are going up not down.

What they need to get rid of period:

1. Any branding of phones. Should be able to take my phone when my contract is up to another carrier.

2. Tethering costing extra. Should be able to use my data plan how I see fit, bits are bits, especially when there is a cap on it.

3. Phone exclusivity contracts.

4. Carrier installed bloatware which you can't uninstall without having to go through some "hacking your phone" measure.

My two cents...

devnuller
join:2006-06-10
Cambridge, MA

devnuller

Member

Why can't I buy a smart phone without a data plan?

With all the competition, why is it that all the new phones must have an incremental $30 data charge?

I want a smart phone where the Internet based apps only works on WiFi.
Big Dawg 23
join:2002-03-27
Northfield, MN

Big Dawg 23

Member

Re: Why can't I buy a smart phone without a data plan?

My guess is for many reasons

1. They make money on data
2. T-Mobile and AT&T and Soon Verizon all have plans under $30
3. To many issues with people who don't have data and activate by accident( but claim they didn't) or use Picture and Video Message that leads to a charge.
4. Many apps now use the net connection and this will cause issues.

jerome
@microchip.com

jerome

Anon

divide FCC ito two parts--FCC_D & FCC-R

divide FCC into two parts--
FCC_Democrat
& FCC_Republican
but take orders only from
FCC-Corporations
gpatrick900
join:2008-08-30
New Castle, IN

gpatrick900 to devnuller

Member

to devnuller
said by devnuller:

With all the competition, why is it that all the new phones must have an incremental $30 data charge?

I want a smart phone where the Internet based apps only works on WiFi.

Actually you can but it is mainly on the prepaid side you pay per data or get a certain amount for free, then pay an overage.