Consumer advocates concerned about wireless swap

Wednesday December 5, 2007

(Host) State consumer advocates say they have concerns about a plan by AT&T to acquire a large piece of Unicel's wireless phone service in Vermont. The AT&T acquisition is part of a major re-shuffling of cell phone providers in the state. VPR's John Dillon has more.

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AT&T to acquire much of Unicel's service in Vt.

December 5, 2007

AT&T Inc. will acquire a significant portion of Unicel's cell phone service in Vermont under a swap of wireless assets with Verizon Wireless, AT&T announced Tuesday.

Verizon Wireless is in the process of acquiring Unicel for $2.67 billion but has agreed to spin off Unicel's overlapping territory in Vermont to satisfy regulators and critics of the deal.

Tuesday's announcement did little to alleviate those concerns.

"Certainly AT&T is another corporation with vast assets and that could be a good thing in terms of future competition in the state," said Paul Burns, executive director of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group.

But Burns said even with AT&T's announcement there remain unresolved issues, including a commitment on the part of Verizon Wireless and AT&T to expand cell phone service in the state.

"I think now we have a situation...

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Wireless phone monopoly a bad deal

November 25, 2007
By Sen. BERNARD SANDERS

Anyone who travels around Vermont knows the inadequacy of our cell phone coverage. Some towns have virtually no reception. Others have, at best, spotty coverage.

At a time when strong cell phone service is essential if our state is to be economically competitive nationally and internationally, it is imperative that every region of Vermont have coverage. At a time when more and more people (especially young people) are using cell phones as their only source of phone service and are able to take advantage of such benefits as free weekend and night calls, it is only fair that all Vermont communities have access to that service. No one doubts that quality broadband and cell phone service are as much a part of Vermont's future as electricity and land-line phones were in the years past.

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Verizon tries to pave way for Unicel deal

November 22, 2007

Verizon Wireless has offered to divest Unicel's overlapping network in Vermont in hopes of winning government approval to acquire the smaller cellular phone company for $2.67 billion in cash and debt.

Verizon Wireless made its offer in a document asking the Federal Communications Commission to reconsider its decision to extend the comment period by 90 days on Verizon Wireless' proposed acquisition of Unicel. The original comment period ended Nov. 13. The extension was sought by the Vermont Public Interest Research Group.

"VPIRG bases its extension request on concerns about the potential effects on competition of a combination of Verizon Wireless and RCC (Unicel) in the state of Vermont," Verizon Wireless stated in its filing with the FCC. "However, since mid-September Verizon Wireless...

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Hold the phone: Feds urge scrutiny on Verizon-Unicel merger

November 21, 2007

NEW YORK (Associated Press) - Three federal agencies say they want to check out the national security, law enforcement and public safety implications before Verizon Wireless is allowed to swallow up the Unicel cellular phone company in 15 states.

That message, contained in a letter sent earlier this month from the Department of Homeland Security to the Federal Communications Commission, represents one of several recent bumps in the road for a merger that also is drawing questions from some quarters on antitrust grounds.

Spokeswomen for Verizon and Homeland Security both called the review routine, and Verizon's Nancy Stark said the delay requested by the agencies was separate from that granted by the FCC at the request of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group.

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FCC will hear more comments on wireless deal

November 16, 2007

The Federal Communications Commission agreed to push the comment period deadline back three months on the proposed sale of Unicel to Verizon Wireless to allow more people to voice thoughts about the buyout.

Paul Burns, executive director of VPIRG, called the extension "a small but important victory."

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FCC extends sale of Unicel

Thursday, November 15

BENNINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission has extended by three months the filing period for people to submit opinions about the proposed sale of Unicel to Verizon Wireless, a sale that has caused concern with some officials.

VPIRG Executive Director Paul Burns said the FCC's decision was a positive step, but said the group will now focus its attention on preventing the deal unless specific conditions are imposed.

"This is a small but important victory that demonstrates that consumers can win even against corporate giants like Verizon Wireless," Burns said Wednesday. "Now we must demand that federal regulators deny this merger or include enforceable conditions to prevent consumers from being significantly harmed by the deal."

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Strange Bedfellows?

FREYNE LAND

Monday, November 05, 2007

Yes, that is Lake Champlain Chamber Prez "Tommy Guns" Tom Torti on the far left; Ol' Bernardo, a.k.a Bernie Sanders, the only socialist senator America's got; former U.S. Navy submarine captain and Democratic State Rep. Al Perry from Richford; and "Save the Environment" Paul Burns, VPIRG's "Top Gun."

All on the same side on this one!

They want the Bush Administration to force Verizon Wireless to, among other things, provide 100-percent geographic cell phone coverage in Vermont when their purchase of Unicel inevitably goes down (Most likely next month.)

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Sanders objects to Verizon Wireless' plan to buy Unicel

Monday November 5, 2007

(Dillon) Verizon announced in July that it wants to acquire Unicel, a smaller company that serves mainly rural areas in Vermont and 14 other states.

Sanders says the $2.7 billion deal will effectively create a monopoly for Verizon.

Tom Torti is president of the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce. He says the state's tourism industry could suffer if Verizon creates a cell service monopoly.

Sharing Torti's concern is Paul Burns, the executive director of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group.

(Burns) "It's critical that we not allow large areas of this state to be left out when it comes to services that most people have come to expect and to rely on everyday."

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Sanders Questions Verizon, Unicel Deal

Burlington, Vermont - November 5, 2007

After meeting with Verizon representatives in Washington D.C. last week, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission asking it to reject the deal, unless Verizon agrees to four conditions:

- Commit to 100% geographic coverage in the state.
- Maintain, upgrade, and expand the GSM technology currently used by Unicel.
- Provide a free phone exchange for current Unicel customers.
- Provide reasonable roaming rates for customers with other carriers.

Sanders is being backed by groups like VPIRG, and the Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce. He's also asking Vermonters to write or call the FCC to express their concerns.

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