COMMITIEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE SU6COMMITIEES; ENERGY AND POWER COMMUNICATIONS AND TeCHNOLOGY CO,CHAIR: COALITION FOR AUTISM ReSEAACH AND EOUCATION CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS ON ROBOTICS ([ongre%% of tbe Wniteb ~tate% ~ouse of l\epresentatibes MIKE DOYLE 14TH DISTRICT, PENNSYLVANIA August 9, 2012 WASHINGTON OFFICE: 401 CANNON HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20515 12021225-2135 DISTRICT OFFICES: 2637 EAST CARSON STREET PITTSBURGH, PA 15203 (4121 390-1499 11 DUFF ROAD PENN HillS. PA 15235 (412) 241-6055 627 LVSLE BoULEVARD McKEESPORT, PA 15132 (41 2) 664-4049 The Honorable Julius Genachowski Chainnan Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, SW Washington, DC 20554 The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr. Attorney General United States Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530 Dear Chairman Genachowski and Attorney General Holder: I am writing to express my concerns regarding the proposed Verizon-SpectrumCo transaction under consideration by the Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice. As your agencies fonnulate your decision regarding the deal, I urge you to give careful consideration to the importance of sustaining competition among wireline providers in local markets nationwide. As you know, cable service and Verizon wireline service overlap in a number of markets around the country, including the district I represent. In these regions, Verizon DSL, Verizon FiOS, and cable providers have been operating as robust competitors in the provision of broadband, video, and voice services. Indeed, such cross-platfonn competition is consistent with the goals of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and it has a direct public service impact. Consumers have enjoyed the benefits of this competitive activity by receiving extensive marketing outreach, involving discounts and other special offers, from their service providers. In other words, such head-to-head competition has had a direct impact on the cost and quality of broadband, voice, and video services provided to my constituents and consumers nationwide. I therefore urge you to pay close attention to the preservation of wireline competition as you review the proposed Verizon-SpectrumCo transaction, to ensure that consumers continue to Contact me through: http://www.doyle.house.gov PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER benefit from the robust marketing efforts of the companies involved, particularly within the Verizon local exchange carrier footprint. The ongoing deployment and maintenance of the Verizon FiOS network has also provided families throughout the country with a large number ofjobs. Fiber deployment is therefore a critical concern both for the development of robust, next-generation broadband technologies consistent with the aims of the Telecom Act, as well as for the livelihood of those who will build, repair, and upgrade those services. The proposed transaction must not alter Verizon's plans with regards to servicing its existing franchise agreements or maintaining its nationwide FiOS networks. I urge you to ensure that Verizon FiOS deployment continues at an aggressive pace and is fully completed as scheduled in all franchise areas. Finally, I urge you to make certain that the proposed Joint Operating Entity between Verizon, Cox, and SpectrumCo companies and the resulting development of new communication technologies does not result in anticompetitive activity. I firmly believe that protecting competition in the technology and device markets will continue to allow companies unaffiliated with the transaction to participate in the communications marketplace, lowering prices and providing more choices for consumers. I hope your agencies will pay particular attention to these issues as you move forward with your reviews of this transaction. Sincerely, Mike Doyle Member of Congress