NEWS
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, D. C.  20554
This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.
See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).
News Media Information 202 / 418-0500
Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
TTY: 1-888-835-5322
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
August 16, 2012 Tammy Sun, 202-418-0505
Email: tammy.sun@fcc.gov  
STATEMENT OF FCC CHAIRMAN JULIUS GENACHOWSKI ON 
VERIZON WIRELESS-SPECTRUMCO AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
“A rigorous review by the Federal Communications Commission and Department of Justice 
staffs revealed that the deal as proposed by Verizon Wireless and the cable company owners of 
SpectrumCo posed serious concerns, including in the wired and wireless broadband and video 
marketplaces.  In response to the agencies’ objections, the parties have made a number of 
binding pro-competitive commitments and will also make fundamental changes to their 
agreements. Because of these substantial undertakings and in light of the Consent Decree the 
companies executed with the Justice Department today, I believe the Commission should now 
approve this transaction, and I will be circulating a draft order to my colleagues that would do so.
“Specifically, Verizon Wireless has undertaken an unprecedented divestiture of spectrum to one 
of its competitors, T-Mobile, and has committed to accelerate the build-out of its new spectrum 
and enhance its roaming obligations. In addition, the companies’ commercial agreements will be 
modified to, among other things, preserve Verizon's incentives to build out FiOS, increase 
wireless competition, and ensure that the proposed IP venture is pro-consumer and that its 
products cannot be used in anti-competitive ways.
“Approval of the substantially modified transaction will promote the public interest and benefit 
consumers in several ways.  By advancing U.S. leadership in 4G LTE deployment, the 
transaction marks another step in our effort to promote the U.S. innovation economy and make 
state-of-the-art broadband available to more people in more places.  The transaction will preserve 
incentives for deployment and spur innovation while guarding against anti-competitive conduct.  
And vitally, it will put approximately 20 megahertz of prime spectrum—spectrum that has gone 
unused for too long—quickly to work across the country, benefiting consumers and the 
marketplace.
“I look forward to working with my colleagues toward a final Commission vote in the near 
future.”
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