Showing archive for: “Spectrum & Wireless”
New Study Links Wireless Adoption to Jobs: It’s All About the Spectrum (and Siri)
Economists recognize that the source of sustainable, private-sector jobs is investment. Due to measurement problems with investment data, however, it is sometimes easier to link a byproduct of investment—namely, adoption of the technology made possible by the investment—to job creation. This is precisely what economists Rob Shapiro and Kevin Hassett have done in their new ... New Study Links Wireless Adoption to Jobs: It’s All About the Spectrum (and Siri)
FTC Mobile Payments Workshop on April 26, 2012
The Federal Trade Commission conference announcement is below; note that public comments on the date of the conference. This is an important space and should attract some excellent speakers. The topics suggest a greater focus on consumer protection than competition issues. Here is the announcement: The Federal Trade Commission will host a workshop on April ... FTC Mobile Payments Workshop on April 26, 2012
Divining a Regulator’s Intent
Regulated firms and their Washington lawyers study agency reports and public statements carefully to figure out the rules of the road; the clearer the rules, the easier it is for regulated firms to understand how the rules affect their businesses and to plan accordingly. So long as the regulator and the regulated firm are on ... Divining a Regulator’s Intent
What Does the Stock Market Tell Us in the Aftermath of the Failed AT&T / T-Mobile Merger?
In the wake of the announcement that AT&T and T-Mobile are walking away from their proposed merger, there will be ample time to discuss whether the deal would have passed muster in federal court, and to review the various strategic maneuvers by the parties, the DOJ, and the FCC. But now is a good time ... What Does the Stock Market Tell Us in the Aftermath of the Failed AT&T / T-Mobile Merger?
AT&T/T-Mobile RIP
Yesterday, AT&T announced it was halting its plan to acquire T-Mobile. Presumably AT&T did not think it could prevail in defending the merger in two places simultaneously—one before a federal district court judge (to defend against the DOJ’s case) and another before an administrative law judge (to defend against the FCC’s case). Staff at both ... AT&T/T-Mobile RIP
The Internet Hysteria Index
Courtesy of Scott Wallsten and Amy Smorodin at Technology Policy Institute (HT: Tom Hazlett): The Internet is without doubt the most powerful inspiration for hyperbole in the history of mankind. Some extol the Internet’s greatness, like Howard Dean, who called the Internet “the most important tool for re-democratizing the world since Gutenberg invented the printing ... The Internet Hysteria Index
Carrier IQ: Another Silly Privacy Panic
By now everyone is probably aware of the “tracking” of certain cellphones (Sprint, iPhone, T-Mobile, AT&T perhaps others) by a company called Carrier IQ. There are lots of discussions available; a good summary is on one of my favorite websites, Lifehacker; also here from CNET. Apparently the program gathers lots of anonymous data mainly for ... Carrier IQ: Another Silly Privacy Panic
Top Ten Lines in the FCC’s Staff Analysis and Findings
Geoff Manne’s blog on the FCC’s Staff Analysis and Findings (“Staff Report”) has inspired me to come up with a top ten list. The Staff Report relies heavily on concentration indices to make inferences about a carrier’s pricing power, even though direct evidence of pricing power is available (and points in the opposite direction). In ... Top Ten Lines in the FCC’s Staff Analysis and Findings
A Quick Assessment of the FCC’s Appalling Staff Report on the AT&T Merger
As everyone knows by now, AT&T’s proposed merger with T-Mobile has hit a bureaucratic snag at the FCC. The remarkable decision to refer the merger to the Commission’s Administrative Law Judge (in an effort to derail the deal) and the public release of the FCC staff’s internal, draft report are problematic and poorly considered. But ... A Quick Assessment of the FCC’s Appalling Staff Report on the AT&T Merger
Debunking the New York Times Editorial on Wireless Competition
Yesterday, the editorial page of the New York Times opined that wireless consumers needed “more protection” than that afforded by voluntary agreements by the carriers and existing regulation. The essay pointed to the “troublesome pricing practices that have flourished” in the industry, including Verizon’s alleged billing errors, as the basis for stepped up enforcement. As ... Debunking the New York Times Editorial on Wireless Competition
The Fate of the FCC’s Open Internet Order–Lessons from Bank Fees
Economists have long warned against price regulation in the context of network industries, but until now our tools have been limited to complex theoretical models. Last week, the heavens sent down a natural experiment so powerful that the theoretical models are blushing: In response to a new regulation preventing banks from charging debit-card swipe fees ... The Fate of the FCC’s Open Internet Order–Lessons from Bank Fees
Introducing Guest Blogger Hal Singer
We’re delighted to be joined for the next couple of weeks by guest blogger, Hal Singer. Hal is Managing Director and Principal at Navigant Economics. He has written, thought and advised extensively on antitrust, finance and general regulatory issues. His SSRN page is here, and it includes co-authors like David Teece, Dan Rubinfeld, Jerry Hausman, Greg Sidak, Bob ... Introducing Guest Blogger Hal Singer
