18th FCC mobile competition report cites broad choices in not drawing conclusion
Despite its stated goal of ensuring a competitive domestic mobile telecom market, the Federal Communications Commission’s latest annual report on the subject did not provide any definitive conclusion as to whether the market is indeed competitive.
In its 18th “Annual Report and Analysis of Competitive Market Conditions with Respect to Mobile Wireless, Including Commercial Mobile Services,” the FCC defaults to some of its previous reports in not reaching a formal declaration as to the actual competitiveness of the current market.
“Consistent with the commission’s first seven reports, and the 14th report and subsequent reports, this 18th report does not reach an overall conclusion or formal finding regarding whether or not the CMRS marketplace was effectively competitive, but rather it provides an analysis and description of the CMRS industry’s competitive metrics and trends,” the report states.
Clouding the issue for the FCC has been increased consumer options in terms of their mobile telecom needs, including the continued use of over-the-top services taking advantage of mobile broadband connections.
“Given the complexity of the various interrelated segments and services within the mobile wireless ecosystem, any single conclusion regarding the effectiveness of competition would be incomplete and possibly misleading in light of the complexities we observe,” the FCC added.
The lack of clarity did not sit well with the FCC’s Republican members, with Ajit Pai claiming the ambiguity of the findings allows the current agency leadership to continue manipulating the market.
“This FCC will never find that there is effective competition in the wireless market, regardless of what the facts show,” Pai stated in his response. “That’s because doing so would undermine the agency’s goal of expanding its authority to manipulate the wireless market – a goal it can’t accomplish if it deems that market healthy.”
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