Should Congress 'Protect' You From Verizon, AT&T? by PC Magazine: Yahoo! Tech

Description

Are Verizon Wireless and AT&T the evil overlords of the wireless industry?

Judging from the banter during Thursday's hearing before the Energy and Commerce Committee, the answer would be yes. At the heart of the argument, however, was whether or not Congress should step in with legislation intended to spur competition and fix loopholes that smaller providers claim have left them indebted to their larger counterparts.

The committee intends to put forward legislation to that effect, but whether or not it goes anywhere remains to be seen.

Rep. Rick Boucher, a Virginia Democrat and chairman of the Internet subcommittee, said he will introduce legislation based on a failed wireless consumer protection bill put forth last year by Rep. Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat.

Boucher's bill would create a uniform set of national consumer protection standards to protect against price hikes and anti-competitive behavior. It would pre-empt similar state laws, but those states would have a role in dispute resolution and standards enforcement.

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