"Four competitors are better than three,” Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman Herb Kohl, D-Wis., said Wednesday at a hearing on AT&T’s proposed T-Mobile purchase. The number could soon fall to two if the deal is approved, he said. Subcommittee members from both parties raised concerns about the deal, though Republicans appeared more open to AT&T and T-Mobile’s argument that the deal would improve wireless service for consumers. But CEOs from competitors Sprint Nextel and Cellular South raised the specter of a resurrected “Ma Bell."

Eligible Telecommunications Carriers should have their Lifeline customers re-certify their own eligibility for the program, TracFone said in comments posted to dockets 11-42, 96-45 and 03-109. But mandating minimum monthly charges for Lifeline customers “would do nothing to prevent waste, fraud and abuse” and only “make Lifeline service unaffordable to millions of low-income households who are intended to benefit from the program.” TracFone has heavy Lifeline customers and has been singled out as one of the wireless companies that are driving pay phone companies out of business (CD Jan 20 p9), especially in states like Florida. The company reiterated its argument that the Lifeline fund shouldn’t be capped. It also convened a meeting with Chairman Julius Genachowski and aide Zac Katz late last week to press TracFone’s case, according to an ex parte notice released Wednesday.

"Four competitors are better than three,” Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman Herb Kohl, D-Wis., said Wednesday at a hearing on AT&T’s proposed T-Mobile purchase. The number could soon fall to two if the deal is approved, he said. Subcommittee members from both parties raised concerns about the deal, though Republicans appeared more open to AT&T and T-Mobile’s argument that the deal would improve wireless service for consumers. But CEOs from competitors Sprint Nextel and Cellular South raised the specter of a resurrected “Ma Bell."

The FCC seeks comment on the Universal Service Administrative Co.’s request for guidance on how to classify text messaging revenue under Universal Service Fund rules, the Wireless Bureau said in a public notice late Monday. “Specifically, USAC is seeking guidance on whether text messaging revenues should be reported as telecommunications revenue or as non-telecommunications revenue.” Comments are due June 6, replies June 20 in docket 06-122.

Microsoft would be drawn further into the telecom/Internet regulatory world with its $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype, experts said. But they divided over the deal’s potential implications on VoIP treatment going forward. The deal, the largest in Microsoft’s history, is expected to get regulatory approvals. Meanwhile, Media Access Project urged Microsoft to support network neutrality and other open Internet policies.

Microsoft would be drawn further into the telecom/Internet regulatory world with its $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype, experts said. But they divided over the deal’s potential implications on VoIP treatment going forward. The deal, the largest in Microsoft’s history, is expected to get regulatory approvals. Meanwhile, Media Access Project urged Microsoft to support network neutrality and other open Internet policies.

Microsoft would be drawn further into the telecom/Internet regulatory world with its $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype, experts said. But they divided over the deal’s potential implications on VoIP treatment going forward. The deal, the largest in Microsoft’s history, is expected to get regulatory approvals. Meanwhile, Media Access Project urged Microsoft to support network neutrality and other open Internet policies.

At age 50, the “vast wasteland” speech is seen as having much to say about current issues in media and telecom by some current and former FCC members, while others said celebrating it should be out of style. An event Monday night marked the 50th anniversary of the speech given by then-Chairman Newton Minow to the NAB. (See coverage from May 15, 1961, in this issue.) Minow and his current successor, Julius Genachowski, told an audience at the National Press Club that the fears expressed in the speech still can guide policymaking, albeit on different issues. Other former FCC members said in interviews that they disagreed, citing the specter of government interference with free speech and other reasons.

AT&T’s acquisition of T-Mobile could affect “market consolidation, roaming, special access pricing, handset interoperability and availability, as well as spectrum consolidation,” U.S. Cellular CEO Mary Dillon said in a meeting with FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. Dillon also cited the company’s “strong opposition” to reverse auctions as part of a Universal Service Fund overhaul, said an ex parte letter by the group. “U.S. Cellular instead stated its support for the use of a forward looking cost model for the distribution of support under the proposed Connect America Fund,” the carrier said. “Such support would be targeted to specific geographic areas and would be portable amongst all [eligible telecommunications carriers] serving the area.”

Small carriers, wireline and wireless, opposed to reverse auctions as part of Universal Service Fund overhaul could be fighting a losing battle in an effort to reverse a move in that direction by the commission. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski appears to have at least three votes in favor of a controversial reverse auction plan, FCC and industry officials said.