The FCC denied a petition from 11 associations asking the agency to stop or pause the clock on the Commission’s review of the T-Mobile-Sprint merger.
The associations — including the Rural Wireless Association, NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association and the Communications Workers of America — said the carriers need to supply more information about their license holdings in each market and that the current information is hard to access. The associations also said a pause would give the public more time to assess the pending transaction, as the agency has several complicated proceedings pending.
T-Mobile wants the FCC’s merger review to proceed without delay. It asked the Commission to deny the request, saying the spectrum information provided is more than adequate.
Noting that extensions of time are not routinely granted, the FCC denied the association’s request. Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Chief Don Stockdale said in the Order yesterday the associations, “failed to establish any basis for granting the extension.” The bureau did add that if the associations find the spectrum licensing information “deficient,” they “certainly may rely on that deficiency to support arguments in a petition to deny the proposed transaction,” said Stockdale. The action means Petitions to Deny the merger are still due to the agency by COB Monday, August 27.
August 23, 2018
