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WASHINGTON. DC 20510 
The Honorable Eric Holder 
Attorney General 
U.S. Department of Justice 
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. 
Washington, D.C. 20530 
The Honorable Julius Genachowslci 
Chairman 
August 7, 2012 
Federal Communications Commission 
445 12th Street, S.W. 
Washington, D.C. 20554 
Dear Attorney General Holder and Chairman Genachowslci, 
We write concerning the proposed spectrum purchase and other commercial 
agreements between Verizon Wireless ("Verizon") and several cable companies that are 
Lmder review at the Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, and the Federal 
Communications Commission. As members of the Senate Committees on the Judiciary 
and Commerce, Science and Transportation, we support robust enforcement of antitrust 
laws and the efficient utilization of spectrum. We urge the Department and the 
Commission to evaluate the transactions at issue based upon established facts and legal 
principles, and to regard with scrutiny speculation about the transactions and the parties 
that is not borne out by credible evidence. 
One of the transactions at issue involves the transfer of spectrum licenses from the 
cable companies to Verizon. The cable companies have not utilized their licenses to 
provide services to the public, so the transfer will put this spectrum - a scarce resource in 
high demand- to better use. We m·ge the Department and Commission to give strong 
consideration to that public benefit, in particular in light of the Administration' s stated 
desire to free more spectrum for use. We believe tl1e public is best served by a free 
market in spectrum licenses, which depends upon the government freeing spectrum for 
sale and permitting a robust secondary market to operate. 
Critics of the transaction have expressed concern about increasing concentration 
in spectrum license ownership. The Department and Commission should thus take care to 
evaluate concerns in light of established legal precedent and available evidence about the 
transaction and the impact it will have. TJ1ey should also take into account Verizon' s 
recently-announced plans to auction certain spectrw11 licenses and swap others with its 
wireless competitor T-Mobile, should the transaction be approved. 
0966
Some have expressed concern about a proposed transaction under which Verizon
and the cable companies would partner to offer consumers a "quadruple play" oflandline
and wireless telephone, Internet and cable television. They speculate that this will inhibit
competition in the cable market by reducing the incentive ofVcrizon's parent. Vcrizon
Communications Inc., to sell or expand its FiDS service. The Department and
Commission should evaluate lhe economic reality of Verizon Communication's
investment in FiDS based on the evidence before Ihem. They should also consider the
additional competition that will result from the potential market entry orthe cable
companies as wireless providers.
In writing this letter, we are mindful of the proper role of Congress and the
authority vested in the Department and the Commission to review the aspects of the
transactions before them. We trust that the Department and the Commission will conduct
a thorough review of tile transactions based on established facts and legal principles.
Sincerely.
United States Senator
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United States Senator
United States Senator
HM DEMINT
United States Senator
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MIKE LEE
United States Senator