Strong opposition to AT&T-BellSouth merger

Strong opposition to AT&T-BellSouth merger                                              

Thousands of comments were filed with the FCC on the merger. Carriers, service providers, Consumer Union, Free Press and US Public Interest Research Group said to the FCC they oppose the merger, but reasons are diverse. For some, the tie-up would amount to a monopoly, with its out-of-control pricing policies. For others, FCC must stop ATT efforts to reestablish its nationwide wireline monopoly. Some others (i.e. mobile operators such as Sprint Nextel) said the wireline monopoly would distort “special access” used by MNOs to transmit calls from base stations to mobile switching centers. If reasons to oppose are various, there are few alternatives proposed. FCC is asked to adopt either rejection of the deal, or at least force ATT to divest its wireless assets (fixed and mobile) with  in addition reasonably-priced wholesale access to ATT’ network.