Public Knowledge Tells FCC It Should Act Now To Block AT&T Takeover of T-Mobile

Public Knowledge followed up the decision by the Department of Justice to file a court blocking AT&T’s takeover of T-Mobile by asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to use its authority under the Communications Act to reject the deal immediately.

PK said in a filing with the Commission that the FCC is required to turn down the deal under provision of the law that prohibits the agency from approving deals that reduce competition for any international phone service (Sec. 314 of the Act). PK noted that the Justice Department sued to block the deal because of the potential for increased concentration of mobile services markets. Those markets have an international component, meaning the absolute prohibition comes into play, Public Knowledge said. Carriage of international traffic, international roaming, and reciprocal carriage agreements all are part of the international component that makes it compulsory that the deal be rejected, PK said.