Attorneys general oppose Sirius-XM deal

July 07, 2008 The AGs told FCC commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate in a phone call July 1 that the combination would deal a "stacked deck" to consumers despite voluntary conditions the companies have agreed to that they contend would ameliorate anti-competitive concerns. In a letter to Tate made public late Monday detailing their conference call, the AGs noted that while many think the deal is a bad idea, the commission should approval the deal only of it includes a condition that would sets aside at least 20% of the frequencies the combined companies would use for a third party. "A lease of spectrum and facilities could produce competitive benefits akin to an outright divestiture and, most importantly, could do so quickly in the absence of a full-fledged new entrant able to launch its own competing system," the AGs wrote.

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