@jbtaylor on tech

Today the Federal Communications Commission received an avalanche of public comments from consumers opposed to AT&T's bid to takeover T-Mobile. Over 28,000 consumers have weighed in so far, nearly all against this proposed transaction.

The Commission also received several "Petitions to Deny" the merger, including one from Sprint.

This morning's Wall Street Journal took note of the growing opposition to the T-Mobile takeover in a story which ran on the front page of the Marketplace section. The story clearly angered AT&T's top lobbyist, Jim Cicconi, who claimed to the Journal that support for the deal is growing.

AT&T hopes you believe that. That's why Cicconi penned this blog post saying that support is growing.

The problem is, no one believes it. Reporters I work with tell me that they see AT&T's support for what it is -- nothing that is truly coming from real grassroots.

Reporters just don't believe Jim Cicconi or AT&T. Neither do members of Congress.

Just look at this photo I shot of Congresswoman Maxine Waters during the Congressional testimony of AT&T's CEO Randall Stephenson and Deutsche Telecom's CEO Rene Oberman.

I don't recall exactly what they were saying when I took the photo during the hearing, but if you could see my face right now, my expression would be a lot like the Congresswoman's.

Over the coming days, I will try to highlight some of the other petitions to deny that the FCC has received, I will also try to explain some of the arguments in our pleading which asks the FCC to block the takeover of T-Mobile.

But for now, I'm heading home.

But stay tuned for more details about why we think the FCC and the DOJ must block AT&T from gobbling up T-Mobile.

The Wall St. Journal is out with a story tonight which points to growing opposition to AT&T's plan to takeover T-Mobile. The story will be in tomorrow's paper.

It highlights the following:

• New opposition from Leap Wireless, the company behind Cricket; 
• Concerns from Metro PCS; 
• The decision by the California Public Utilities Commission to investigate the proposed transaction, as well as a decision 2 weeks ago by the Louisiana Public Service Commission to do the same; 
• Recent decisions by the Justice Department to block other "horizontal" mergers; 
• The FCC's Friday letters to AT&T and Deutsche Telekom asking the companies 97 additional questions about the proposed transaction; and 
• Last week's Congressional hearing where Republicans joined with Democrats in asking questions about the proposed transaction.

The story quotes two industry analysts expressing doubt about AT&T's plans getting approved.

"AT&T opened with such a tightly controlled and well orchestrated launch, they controlled the story line for awhile," said Rebecca Arbogast, an analyst with Stifel Nicholas. "Now we are seeing some say, 'Wait a minute, is this really the market structure we want in the U.S.?' "

Arbogast's remarked were followed by some from Craig Moffett, an analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein. "The air of inevitability has drained away," Moffett said.

Perhaps that's why AT&T's CEO Randall Stephenson looks so angry in this photo I snapped of him at last week's House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on the proposed T-Mobile takeover.

Things are just not going well for AT&T.

p.s. I have more pictures and details from the hearing in my previous post. Be sure to click on each photo and read the captions. (That's the best part!)

Check out the photos I took at last week's House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on AT&T's bid to takeover T-Mobile. The captions have some of the questions Members of Congress asked both AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson and Deutsche Telekom CEO Rene Obermann. (Deutsche Telekom AG owns T-Mobile USA.)

Late yesterday, officials at the Federal Communications Commission sent a letters to AT&T and Deutsche Telekom (the owner of T-Mobile USA) asking a series of questions about AT&T's bid to takeover T-Mobile.

No doubt it's screwed up any plans for a long holiday weekend for attorneys working on the $39 billion takeover. (I admit, I'm pretty amused by that prospect.)

The questions give you an idea of just how closely the FCC and the Department of Justice are scrutinizing this transaction.

Here's the letter AT&T got, plus the attachment with actual questions.

And here's Deutsche Telekom's letter, plus attachments.

Answers are due on June 10.

As for you, dear reader, you have your chance to weigh in on the T-Mobile takeover, too, but you have to act by Tuesday, May 31.

I explain exactly how to do that here on my blog. If my instructions are too complicated, the folks over at Free Press have made it easier for you to tell the FCC what you think.

So far, over 20,000 people have weighed in.

If you fear, as I do, that this mega-merger will leave consumers with less choice and higher prices, now is the time to step up and write the FCC.

The FCC won't accept your letters after May 31.

Earlier today, the California Public Utilities Commission voted to open an investigation into AT&T's bid to takeover T-Mobile.

Sprint issued the following statement to media:

“Sprint is pleased that the Commission will open up a proceeding to investigate the proposed takeover of T-Mobile by AT&T. We believe a thorough investigation will reveal the negative implications for pricing, choice and innovation, critical to California’s economy.”