FCC Chief Rejects Blame for Higher AT&T Mobile Prices

AT&T Inc. price increases for wireless service aren’t caused by U.S. steps to block the carrier’s purchase of smaller T-Mobile USA Inc., U.S. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski said.

“Some have recently argued that the government’s review of transactions in the wireless space, or let’s be frank review of one specific transaction, is somehow causing a shortage of spectrum leading that company to raise prices for consumers,” Genachowski said today in a speech to a wireless-industry convention in New Orleans. “But the overall amount of spectrum available has not changed.”