At 27 Feb 2007 21:16:46 -0500 Larry wrote:

> I've sent an email to the FCC to ask about this problem and its current
> regulatory status. Thanks for the information. If any of them can
control
> an area, we are all DOOMED to be enslaved if we want service....Verizon
or
> otherwise. That's not what the original A/B plan was all
> about.....monopolies.

While I agree to a point, that was back when there was only 800MHz service,
and only two cellular licenses available- A&B. Today there are the two
800MHz licenses and six 1900MHz licenses available. (Plus an 800MHz iDen
if you want to count that as "cellular", but I don't!)

The FCC's current position is that owning two of eight licenses doesn't
harm competition, even if the two are both available 800MHz licenses.
IIRC, the current per-market spectrum limit is 60MHz regardless of bands
used. (While the 800 licenses are 25MHz each, the five at 1900 come in
two sizes- IIRC, three are 30MHz, and three are 10MHz- it's been quite
awhile since my "PCS training" back when I used to be a Cingular dealer
in the late 90s!)