T-Mobile Lands in Incentive Auction Crosshairs of Other Big Wireless Carriers
Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure and T-Mobile CEO John Legere are duking it out on Twitter. Meanwhile, Verizon and AT&T both attacked T-Mobile Thursday in blog posts, both on the TV incentive auction. Claure tweeted Tuesday about Sprint’s new unlimited data plan (see 1507010011). “We heard you loud and clear and we are removing the 600 kbps on streaming video,” Claure said, under the hashtag “Allin.”
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“I give credit to @sprint for swinging the bat when they do – but #allin is a swing and a miss, guys!!” Legere responded. That was enough to provoke a reaction from Claure. "I am so tired of your Uncarrier bullshit when you are worse than the other two carriers together," he said.
Meanwhile, Verizon criticized T-Mobile arguments at the FCC in favor of a revised trigger for the incentive auction for settling when the spectrum reserve kicks in, opening up the sale of reserve blocks to competitors (see 1507010023). “T-Mobile’s ulterior motives were confirmed in a manner not unlike the villain’s grand unmasking in the Scooby Doo cartoons,” Verizon said. “As if to say, ‘My scheme would’ve worked if not for those meddling kids…’ T-Mobile filed yet another proposal yesterday at the FCC. In case you’re keeping score that makes three (at least) different proposals by T-Mobile that ask the American taxpayer to subsidize its spectrum buys. Ruh roh.”’
AT&T, meanwhile, responded to a June 26 letter from Legere to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler complaining about his decision not to propose a larger spectrum reserve than the 30 MHz agreed to last year (see 1506250057). AT&T also mentions T-Mobile’s push for a revised trigger. “The reality is that a spectrum reserve that is too small to support competition would mean that Verizon and AT&T will win and consumers will lose,” Legere told Wheeler.
AT&T never thought a spectrum reserve was necessary, said Joan Marsh, vice president-federal regulatory, in a blog post, calling T-Mobile’s continuing demands “Magenta Madness.” AT&T was willing to accept the 30 MHz reserve “because we recognized it as a carefully balanced solution and a thoughtful compromise that would resolve the debate that had already gone on far too long as of last May and has now moved well beyond tedium,” she said. “And now comes another demand seeking favors that would lower the reserve trigger and further enrich T-Mobile at the expense of taxpayers. Let me repeat. T-Mobile will have access to a full 30 MHz of spectrum in markets like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta free from any competitive bidding from AT&T or Verizon. How much more help does it need?”
T-Mobile declined to respond Thursday. But the Save Wireless Choice Coalition did, also on Twitter. T-Mobile is a leading member of the group. The tweet shows Verizon and AT&T joined together as a two-headed thug. “Both @VerizonWireless & @ATT post similar blogs today opposing the reserve. Almost like some kind of 2 headed monster.”