https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Multimedia
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • IWCE 2022 Winter Showcase
    • IWCE 2023 Pre-event Guide
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • Commentary
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • All Things IWCE
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • IWCE
    • Conference
    • Special Events
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • Premier Partners
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Register for IWCE
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookie Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • TU-Auto
  • In the field
    • Back
    • In the field
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Internet of Things
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Call Center/Command
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Network Tech
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Operations
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Regulations
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • Organizations
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
Urgent Communications
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Omdia Crit Comms Circle Podcast
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • IWCE 2023 Pre-event Guide
    • IWCE 2022 Winter Showcase
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • All Things IWCE
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • UC eZines
    • Sponsored content
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • Conference
    • Why Attend
    • Exhibitor Listing
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Join the Event Mailing List
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • TU-Auto
  • newsletter
  • In the field
    • Back
    • Internet of Things
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Cybersecurity
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
acc.com

Legal Matters


Commentary

Back to the future

Back to the future

The AT&T/T-Mobile merger might renew the FCC's efforts to make sure that Sprint Nextel remains a competitive alternative, possibly by looking favorably upon AT&T/T-Mobile merger conditions that would benefit Sprint Nextel.
  • Written by
  • 1st April 2011

Leggings once again are all the rage, and remakes of '80s titles are popular on the big screen. Fortunately, none of us have dusted off our polyester leisure suits — yet.

Everything old is new again, even in cellular communications. AT&T's proposed acquisition of T-Mobile once again would create two cellular behemoths, with a third, much smaller competitor.

When it happened the first time, the FCC was anxious to see Nextel succeed, because the commission thought that a third competitor would bring down prices. Thus, Nextel was certainly the beneficiary of some favorable FCC decisions. And, lo and behold, the industry changed significantly, although perhaps not in ways that were expected, as much of Nextel's growth came at the expense of the SMR industry. Eventually though, Nextel, in combination with new competitors (then-called PCS) had the intended impact of creating a competitive cellular marketplace.

The merger of T-Mobile and AT&T would end that era. Whether that's good for consumers can be debated, but clearly it's not good for Sprint Nextel (or the other, smaller regional providers). Sprint Nextel would be left without a major potential merger partner — the Department of Justice probably wouldn't look favorably on a merger of Sprint Nextel with either AT&T or Verizon. And, their total subscriber numbers would leave them far behind the two bigger rivals.

The AT&T/T-Mobile merger might renew the FCC's efforts to make sure that Sprint Nextel remains a competitive alternative, possibly by looking favorably upon AT&T/T-Mobile merger conditions that would benefit Sprint Nextel.

This activity comes at a time when AT&T and Verizon are venturing into a potential new field — the nationwide public-safety broadband system. Their implementation of LTE — while Sprint Nextel builds out WiMAX — gives AT&T and Verizon another competitive advantage over Sprint Nextel. While you might argue that Sprint Nextel made a gamble (WiMAX) and lost, and therefore deserve their fate, the marketplace nevertheless may return to disfunctionality if Sprint Nextel does not remain competitive. Thus, it would seem important to many to ensure that they succeed, at least on some level.

In the meantime, LTE activity continues at a brisk pace. If you attended IWCE last month, you no doubt witnessed standing-room-only crowds at every broadband session. In each instance, attendees came to learn, not complain. Thus, the sessions were energetic, lively and extremely educational.

The broadband buzz carried over to the show floor. It's truly amazing that, in a tough economy, there were the same number of exhibit hall attendees as the previous year, and an increased number of seminar attendees. While these startling numbers aren't solely the result of broadband activity, broadband certainly played a major role.

However, the broadband session attendance also pointed out a major issue, the lack of familiarity with LTE by land-mobile-radio personnel. Between the technology, the logistics of getting it built, the logistics of running the system, and getting the construction paid for, it is clear that there are many questions yet to be answered. Thus, the future of public-safety broadband is being written right in front of us, but with many unknowns.

What do you think? Tell us in the comment box below.

Alan Tilles is counsel to numerous entities in the private radio and Internet industries. He is a partner in the law firm of Shulman Rogers Gandal Pordy & Ecker and can be reached at [email protected].

Tags: Regulation Commentary FCC Policy Legal Matters Commentary

Most Recent


  • Autonomous-vehicle consequences could include more traffic
    Most discussions about driverless, autonomous cars, have led to claims that they will help reduce congestion. Not so, says the RAC Foundation. It cites a UK government report which believes the opposite is true. Claiming that driverless cars could increase congestion by 85% by 2060. Presently, it’s thought that drivers lose more than 80 hours […]
  • SES: JP Hemingway on satellites' role in the digital divide, D2D and disasters
    WASHINGTON – At last week’s Satellite 2023 show, one of the topics on everyone’s mind was the future of direct-to-device (D2D) communications. But at least one global satellite operator, SES, is taking a wait-and-see approach. “We’re watching that space really carefully. We’re not active in it today,” said SES Chief Strategy Officer JP Hemingway in a […]
  • House members introduce $15 billion NG911 funding bill
    Key U.S. House members introduced bipartisan legislation that would provide $15 billion in federal funding to support 911 centers nationwide as they make the transition from legacy technology to an IP-based next-generation 911 (NG911) platform. Standalone legislation that had not been assigned a bill number as of Friday night, the “Next Generation 9-1-1 Act of […]
  • ADRF: Sun Kim discusses company's new hybrid in-building wireless solution
      Sun Kim, ADRF’s director of product engineering, talks about the FiRe-78-8-U, the company’s channelized 700/800 MHz repeater with a built-in and fiber DAS head end in a single unit. Each unit has been certified as meeting the UL 2524, second edition, standard and supports as many as 8 remote units. IWCE attendees can learn […]

Related Content

  • New Orleans-area 911 center inks multiyear APEX deal with Carbyne to replace call-handling system
  • Back to the future
    Newscan: Feds recover millions from pipeline ransom hackers, hint at U.S. Internet tactic
  • Cyber is the new Cold War, and AI is the arms race

Commentary


Updated: How ‘sidelink’ peer-to-peer communications can enhance public-safety operations

  • 1
27th February 2023

NG911 needed to secure our communities and nation

24th February 2023

How 5G is making cities safer, smarter, and more efficient

26th January 2023
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


UrgentComm

Gallery: IWCE 2023 kicks off in Las Vegas dlvr.it/SlZlk4

28th March 2023
UrgentComm

AT&T claims LTE coverage edge, FirstNet build more than 99% done dlvr.it/SlXZfr

27th March 2023
UrgentComm

Verizon Frontline supports U.S. Forest Service efforts against wildfires dlvr.it/SlX1g3

27th March 2023
UrgentComm

Autonomous-vehicle consequences could include more traffic dlvr.it/SlWr67

27th March 2023
UrgentComm

Tesla Model 3 hacked in less than 2 minutes at Pwn2Own contest dlvr.it/SlVJg9

26th March 2023
UrgentComm

SES: JP Hemingway on satellites’ role in the digital divide, D2D and disasters dlvr.it/SlTL4h

25th March 2023
UrgentComm

House members introduce $15 billion NG911 funding bill dlvr.it/SlS0Lr

25th March 2023
UrgentComm

ADRF: Sun Kim discusses company’s new hybrid in-building wireless solution dlvr.it/SlRtSQ

25th March 2023

Newsletter

Sign up for UrgentComm’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about Communications and Technology.

Expert Commentary

Learn from experts about the latest technology in automation, machine-learning, big data and cybersecurity.

Business Media

Find the latest videos and media from the market leaders.

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital and print audiences? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • American City & County
  • IWCE
  • Light Reading
  • IOT World Today
  • Mission Critical Technologies
  • TU-Auto

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Careers

FOLLOW Urgent Comms ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.