Verizon’s planned $3.6 billion purchase of Advance Wireless Service (AWS) airwaves from cable companies seems to see the protest [PDF] from one of its rival: T-Mobile. The wireless provider filed a brief with the FCC urging the regulatory board to scuttle the impending deal between Verizon and the cable companies. The T-Mobile officials expressed unturned interest asking Verizon to grab the larger piece of pie with that greater portion of spectrum, arguing that the carrier is already not utilizing the spectrum it already holds.
Verizon recently announced plans to conduct an open sale process for all of its unused 700 MHz A and B spectrum licenses in order to rationalize its spectrum holdings. The licenses cover dozens of major cities across the country, as well as a number of smaller and rural markets. Verizon Wireless obtained the 700 MHz A and B licenses, as well as nationwide 700 MHz upper C licenses (with the exception of Alaska which has since been acquired), in FCC Auction 73 in 2008. Verizon argues that it needs the AWS spectrum in order to provide enough wireless bandwidth to its subscribers, whose data needs continually grow.
