Responding to consumer advocate and competitor concerns that the new Verizon, cable industry deal could include some anti-competitive conditions (hey, we won't install new FiOS in your markets if you let us sell wireless to your customers and sell us spectrum), Senator Herb Kohl has announced a new hearing looking into the deal. Kohl, who is Chairman of the Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights subcommittee, says the hearing will take place after February 23. The hearing will focus on whether the deal could pose problems for residential broadband. Says Kohl:

"Plans are well underway for a hearing to examine the impact of Verizon s spectrum purchase from a number of cable companies and a separate marketing agreement to cross-sell each other s products, Kohl said in a release. The subcommittee carefully examines questions about competition in the wireless and video markets, with the ultimate goal of protecting consumers and reducing their cable and cell phone bills, and these deals are no exception."

If there are any anti-competitive arrangements included in the deal, you can be fairly sure that neither Comcast or Verizon attorneys allowed them to be put into writing. Though maybe not sexy on the surface, the deal has huge ramifications for smaller telcos who already compete with Comcast, especially if Verizon follows through on trials and pushes into residential fixed LTE.
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