TIA: Benefits of AT&T/T-Mobile Merger Carry Substantial Weight

In Letter to the FCC, TIA Says Proposed Merger Would ‘Help Create a Virtuous Cycle of Investment and Innovation’ in the United States

Merger Approval Would Advance FCC’s Push for Broadband Build-out in Rural America, Address the Nation’s Looming Spectrum Crisis and Tackle Growing Consumer Demand for High-Speed Internet Service

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), representing a diverse and wide-range of manufacturers and supply companies in global information and communications technology, today publicly urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to give substantial weight to the positive impact the proposed AT&T/T-Mobile merger would have on investment and innovation, expanding consumer access to mobile broadband and addressing the looming spectrum crisis in America.

TIA President Grant Seiffert, said, “Combining the infrastructure and resources of AT&T and T-Mobile would help create a reliable, high-speed mobile broadband network and encourage a virtuous cycle of investment and innovation in America’s business sector, meet growing consumer demand for these services, and address the looming spectrum crisis.”

Seiffert said, “The potential benefits of the merger should be given substantial weight in the FCC’s review of the proposed transaction.”

In the letter filed today with the FCC on the proposed merger, Seiffert wrote, “TIA has a long history of supporting broadband deployment, efficient use of spectrum, and investment. While we typically do not comment on business combinations, we believe this merger could achieve these three objectives, if implemented in the manner that the applicants (AT&T/T-Mobile) have proposed. We support the Commission’s (FCC’s) own evaluation which will ensure full consideration of these three fundamental policy issues.”

The letter is available online at tiaonline.org.

About TIA

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) represents the global information and communications technology (ICT) industry through standards development, advocacy, tradeshows, business opportunities, market intelligence and networking. Since 1924, TIA has been enhancing the business environment for broadband, mobile wireless, information technology, networks, cable, satellite and unified communications. Members’ products and services empower communications in every industry and market, including healthcare, education, security, public safety, transportation, government, the military, the environment and entertainment.

TIA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Visit tiaonline.org.

TIA's Board of Directors includes senior-level executives from ADTRAN, Alcatel-Lucent, ANDA Networks, AttivaCorp, Cisco Systems, Dow Chemical Company, Ericsson, Inc., GENBAND, Inc., Henkels & McCoy, Juniper Networks, ILS Technology, Intel Corporation, Intersect, Inc., LGE, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia Siemens Networks, OneChip Photonics, Panasonic Computer Solutions Co., Qualcomm, Research In Motion, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave Corporation, Tellabs, TE Connectivity, Ulticom, Inc., Walker & Associates and WirefreeCom, Inc. Advisors to the Board include FAL Associates and Telcordia Technologies.

CONTACT:

Telecommunications Industry Association
Mike Snyder, +1-703-907-7723
msnyder@tiaonline.org

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  District of Columbia

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Technology  Internet  Networks  Telecommunications  Public Policy/Government  Mobile/Wireless  Public Policy  White House/Federal Government

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