@jbtaylor on tech

This afternoon, Bob Quinn, AT&T's top lobbyist before the FCC, wrote a blog post which not only criticized a pro-consumer decision from the FCC, but also mischaracterized Sprint's network investments.

In response, Sprint issued the following statement to media:

"It’s disappointing, but not surprising, that AT&T wants to challenge a consumer’s right to access email, the Internet and other mobile broadband services wherever they may travel in the U.S. Along with Verizon Wireless, AT&T is the only other wireless carrier in America which opposes the FCC’s pro-consumer data roaming decision from last year.

"The facts are that Sprint, as part of its Network Vision program, doubled its 2011 capital investment over 2010 to make tens of thousands of capacity upgrades, resulting in a better wireless experience for its customers. With these network investments, Sprint continues to offer consumers a better value than AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile.”

p.s. I suppose AT&T and Verizon are opposed to buffaloes roaming, too. ;-)

Last night the FCC announced its tentative agenda for the Commission's April meeting. One item consumers should cheer would require wireless carriers to enter into data roaming agreements in the same way they enter into voice roaming agreements.

So in other words, eventually, you will be able to surf the Net at all the places where you can make a phone call. As consumers use more and more data this makes sense.

We'll see what actually happens in April at the meeting.

Until then, remember the words of this classic B-52s song: "Roam if you want to..."

If you use a wireless phone, it's likely you're using it for more than just a phone. If you're like most people I know, you're using a lot of data, too.

For some time now, the FCC has required wireless carriers to offer just and reasonable rates on voice roaming. It's now considering making the same requirement for data roaming.

Pretty much everyone in the wireless industry supports this move, except for... wait for it... that's right: AT&T and Verizon. They want to increase their 60% market share and one way to do it is to charge competitors excessive rates for data roaming. If smaller carriers can't offer a smart phone which can be used nationally, it will be increasingly hard to compete.

The wireless companies who support the FCC's data roaming proposal wrote a letter to every Member of Congress today which explains the issue better than I can.

The text is below:

The Wireless Industry Representatives are a united group representing the entire wireless industry, with the exception of only AT&T and Verizon Wireless, and collectively serve more than 100 million subscribers. We seek your support to extend the current automatic voice roaming requirement to data services so that consumers can access their home carrier’s data services wherever they travel.The 2010 National Broadband Plan recognized the importance of automatic data roaming to facilitate new carrier entry and to promote competition. The Wireless Industry Representatives have invested and continue to invest billions of dollars and employ tens of thousands of workers to build out and operate their wireless networks. This investment is threatened, however, if the right to data roaming is not assured:

• Consumers expect and deserve access to both voice and data services regardless of where they travel within the United States. Access to e-mail, text messaging and the web, regardless of location, has become just as critical to consumers as voice services.
• Without data roaming, smaller carriers will be unable to attract the customers necessary to maintain current networks or invest in expanded broadband coverage. It is the operation and construction of these competing networks that creates jobs and protects consumers.
• Consumers in small and rural communities whose home carriers are less likely to have a national footprint will feel the greatest impacts without data roaming.
• There will continue to be an incentive for smaller carriers to build-out their networks to reduce their roaming costs and gain the advantages of owner’s economics because carriers that provide roaming services will be paid just and reasonable rates for this service.
• The FCC has authority under existing laws and regulations to extend roaming obligations to data services.

In the end, automatic data roaming is pro-consumer, pro-competition, and pro-investment policy. It will encourage the construction of competing mobile broadband networks, spurring jobs, competition and economic growth. If the FCC does not act promptly to implement a data roaming requirement, consumers will suffer, investment will wane and jobs will be lost, slowing down economic recovery. We strongly urge the immediate extension of roaming obligations to data services.

The letter was signed by officials from the following companies and associations:

• Cellular South
• Cincinnati Bell
• Clearwire
• Cricket Communications
• Metro PCS
• National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NCTA)
• Ntelos
• Organization from the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies (OPASTCO)
• Rural Cellular Association
• Rural Telecommunications Group
• SouthernLinc Wireless
• Sprint
• T-Mobile USA