Antitrust

AT&T is striking back at the law firm Bursor & Fisher, which is trying to block AT&T's $39 billion merger with T-Mobile USA, according to a report from Reuters.

Last week, AT&T reportedly filed eight lawsuits in eight different federal court jurisdictions against Bursor & Fisher and a second plaintiffs' firm, Faruqi & Faruqi, claiming that the firms have been pressuring AT&T into "an extortionate settlement" by encouraging AT&T customers to file multiple claims against the merger.

Bursor & Fisher began its "Fight The Merger" … Read more

AT&T is getting some support from a key congressional leader for its proposed $39 billion purchase of T-Mobile USA.

Earlier this week, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Tex.), chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, urged regulators to resist what he called one-sided arguments to block AT&T's plan to buy T-Mobile.

"Recently, you have heard from members of Congress who, based on the limited information provided in congressional hearings, urged you to conclude that this merger should be blocked," he said in a letter to the Federal Communications Commission and the Department … Read more

Antitrust authorities at the U.S. Justice Department have submitted a second request for information on Google's plan to acquire Internet advertising company Admeld, the companies said yesterday.

The move means a new round of scrutiny, and thus more waiting, for the Admeld acquisition, reported to be for about $400 million when it was announced in June.

Google's biggest ad business is for search ads that appear next to search results, but it's been trying to expand in the domain of more traditional display ads--the graphics such as banner ads that often tout big brand names. Admeld … Read more

AT&T filed additional information to the Federal Communications Commission late yesterday to support its claims that wireless pricing will fall and service quality will rise if regulators approve its $39 billion takeover of T-Mobile USA.

AT&T has said since the deal was announced in March that it would benefit consumers with lower prices and improved service quality. Last week, the FCC asked the company to provide new economic models that use additional data points as part of the agency's evaluation of the deal. The FCC and the Department of Justice are reviewing the merger. Each … Read more

A public interest group called Consumer Watchdog has filed an antitrust complaint with the Federal Trade Commission about Facebook Credits, arguing that the virtual currency used for purchases such as assets in online games is anticompetitive.

Specifically, the group objects to new terms for using the credits that go into effect Friday. The group argues in the 28-page complaint (PDF), "The new Facebook Credits terms will enable Facebook to maintain and extend its monopoly power over the market for virtual goods purchased in social games."

In addition, the complaint argues, the new terms prohibit game developers from charging … Read more

The Justice Department's antitrust authorities have approved Google's $900 million bid for 6,000 Nortel patents and patent applications, the Wall Street Journal reported today.

The conclusion, attributed to unnamed sources, means that the purchase of the intellectual property from the bankrupt telecommunications company wouldn't be anticompetitive, and it significantly advances Google's bid.

Microsoft, a top Google competitor, has raised concerns about Google's bid for the Nortel patents about the purchase. AT&T, Nokia, Hewlett-Packard, and Verizon also have filed objections, the Journal said.

Patents are a hot commodity these days with an explosion … Read more

It's called "regulation by merger condition." And at the Federal Communications Commission, it's a problem that has become epidemic. As part of a drawn-out process the agency follows for approving proposed mergers in the communications industry (where it shares review authority with the Department of Justice), companies are persuaded to volunteer or are sometimes simply forced into accepting pages and pages of conditions that limit the merged entities' operating flexibility for years to come.

In part, the voluntary conditions are offered just to get the process moving. Though the FCC is required to complete its review … Read more

Calling it "excessive," Microsoft criticized in an appeals hearing today the 899 million euro fine imposed three years ago by European Union antitrust regulators, according to Reuters.

The fine, equivalent to $1.35 billion in 2008 and $1.27 billion today, penalized Microsoft for failing to comply with sanctions in a case involving the information it provides to other companies to allow their products to work with Microsoft software. The fine specifically addresses the rates that Microsoft charges to license its interoperability protocols and patents to third parties.

At the time, the fine was the largest ever imposed … Read more

Next week, CEOs from some of the nation's largest wireless companies will be testifying on Capitol Hill for and against the proposed $39 billion megamerger between AT&T and T-Mobile USA.

On Wednesday, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson and T-Mobile USA CEO Philipp Humm will argue in favor of the merger in front of the Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing titled "The AT&T/T-Mobile Merger: Is Humpty Dumpty Being Put Back Together Again?"

Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse and regional carrier Cellular South CEO Hu Mena will be there to testify against the merger. … Read more