Competition/Antitrust

Mobile communications markets are usually characterized by a limited number of operators. Despite being markets exhibiting high concentration, many mobile network operator mergers have been recently proposed and approved subject to remedies (or commitments by the merging parties). The research investigates the merger induced effects on consumer surplus, in which a model has three firms selling horizontally and vertically differentiated products.

T-Mobile is in discussions with Tilman FiberCo to build out a fiber-optic network, setting the stage for the company to enter the landline broadband business. This would be the biggest bet T-Mobile has made in fiber-optic infrastructure, and put it in competiton with cable providers. A deal would make T-Mobile an anchor tenant in a newly formed infrastructure joint venture between Tillman FiberCo and private equity firm Northleaf Capital Partners. Under the agreement, Tillman—financed by Northleaf—would build out network infrastructure to various neighborhoods and business districts and fil

The Federal Communications Commission has been ramping up our work to promote space-based innovation.

Google has reached a tentative settlement with more than 30 US states and 21 million customers -- but not app developers -- who sued the company for allegedly violating antitrust laws by overcharging for apps in the Google Play Store. The settlement comes after a court revoked the lawsuit's class-action status. At one point, plaint

One of the primary goals in enacting the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was to let anyone enter any communications business—to let any communications business compete in any market against any other firm.

In the coming years, Pennsylvania will receive more than $1 billion in federal funding to bring high-speed internet access to everyone in the state. It’s a historic opportunity and a serious challenge, according to a new plan from the state Broadband Development Authority that outlines how it will accomplish that goal over the next five years.

Congress and the Federal Communications Commission must act swiftly and purposefully to ensure that low-income households continue to have sustainably affordable access to communications services through a fully funded low-income program that is structured to effectively close the affordability component of the digital divide while preserving program integrity. National Lifeline Association (NaLA) offers the following recommendations and observations:

Comcast and Charter intend to upgrade cable networks to DOCSIS 4.0 to be able to better compete against fiber networks. The goal is to be able to offer faster download speeds and drastically improve upload speeds to level the playing field with fiber in terms of advertised speeds. It’s anybody’s guess if these upgrades will make cable broadband equivalent to fiber in consumers’ eyes. From a marketing perspective, there are plenty of people who see no difference between symmetrical gigabit broadband offered by a cable company or a fiber overbuilder.

After an apparent lull, the effort to have broadband access across the city of Holland (MI) looks to be back on the fast track. The Holland City Council unanimously approved the authorization of selling up to $23 million in unlimited tax general obligation bonds to fund the expansion of the Holland BPW’s broadband Internet transport services. The vote comes a year after voters approved the issuance of up to $30 million over 25 years for this initiative. According to Mayor Nathan Bocks, the financial effect on property owners won’t be immediately evident.

For the city of Albuquerque (NM), providing high-quality and affordable internet is a priority. The majority of households are connected, but that doesn’t mean everybody that needs it has it and it doesn’t mean it’s affordable or reliable. Albuquerque needs more competition, more providers, better infrastructure to fill in the gaps and more affordable options. What the broadband office is dong to fill in those gaps is: