News - May 6, 2019

INCOMPAS: “AT&T Places Their Own Interests over our Nation’s 5G Future”

Competition trade group blasts new AT&T, Verizon, USTelecom effort to cut off competition, raise prices and slow broadband deployment

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 6, 2019) – In a brazen move, AT&T and Verizon’s trade association USTelecom, is trying to break the rules and revamp its initial filing for a competition cut off that will result in massive price hikes on broadband customers across the nation.

Recognizing the fundamental flaws in their original “forbearance” effort to kill bipartisan competition laws, AT&T and Verizon is back with a new—but still deeply defective— “end run” and eleventh hour approach filed before the FCC, that will significantly harm broadband and fiber deployment critical to our nation’s 5G infrastructure. 

In response, Chip Pickering, the CEO of INCOMPAS, released the following statement:

“This is a shameless competition killing move by AT&T and Verizon, and the FCC should reject their attempt to deprive millions of rural Americans out of their broadband access.

“Last week the big telecom companies admitted their 5G networks wouldn’t reach rural America, now they want to cut off competition from small fiber builders who are deploying new networks to rural small towns, suburban neighborhoods, businesses and schools across the nation.

“AT&T and Verizon were utterly rebuked by public comments to their initial forbearance petition seeking to cut off competition and raise prices -- where over 9,000 customers wrote personal letters to the FCC and the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy warned the move would be “devastating.”

“But AT&T is so desperate to pay off their record level of debt—a result of their CNN purchase — that they are willing to try and rig the system, and are asking the FCC to allow them to pay for their own mistakes on the backs of small businesses, family farms and schools.

“We strongly encourage the FCC to stand up for competition and reject all efforts by AT&T and Verizon to raise prices and slow down broadband deployment.  Simply put, AT&T and Verizon should not be allowed to put their own interests above our national interest in winning the race to 5G and beyond.” 

**LEARN MORE about the INCOMPAS effort to STOP the Competition Cut OFF and SAVE the Bridge to Broadband here. 

About INCOMPAS
INCOMPAS, the internet and competitive networks association, is the leading trade group advocating for competition policy across all networks. INCOMPAS represents Internet, streaming, communications and technology companies large and small, advocating for laws and policies that promote competition, innovation and economic development. Learn more at www.incompas.org or follow us on Twitter: @INCOMPAS @ChipPickering