One Too Many Mergers: AT&T Public Hearing on July 7th

Want more duopoly?

The proposed purchase of T-Mobile by AT&T threatens to consolidate control of wireless communications in only two big corporations, both with terrible records - Verizon and AT&T. This means higher prices, less choice and job losses.

AT&T is promising the moon and the stars to federal regulators if the merger goes through, but their record is on the record.

-- The worst customer service ranking of any wireless provider (per Consumer Reports December 2010)

-- 20,000 layoffs between 2007 and 2009.

-- Prices 30% higher than current T-Mobile pricing levels

-- Network neutrality violations

-- Disinvestment in rural broadband

Big media mergers are nothing new. Print and broadcast journalism have been decimated by ownership consolidation. We know what happens: shrinking newsrooms, less jobs, less news and information.

We can't just hand over the mobile Internet to two big corporations.

The California Public Utilities Commission took a historic step in June. They agreed to weigh in on the specific impacts of this proposed merger on Californians: on pocketbooks, on smart phones, and on access to news, information and the ability to communicate.

They said this decision isn't only up to Washington DC. It affects all of us.

Come to the Northern California public hearing and say a choice of two things that aren't different is not a real choice.

More on merger impact here and here.

CA Public Utilities Commission - Thursday July 7th at 6:00pm
Public Participation Hearing on the Impacts of the AT&T / T-Mobile Merger on Californians
505 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco

We need you to be there in person, but if its absolutely impossible, you can submit a written comment to: public.advisor [at] cpuc.ca.gov . Please send a copy to Media Alliance as well at tracy [at] media-alliance.org.

Southern California public hearing to come the week of July 19th.