Several consumer and digital rights groups applauded the U.S. Department of Justice's opposition to AT&T's proposed acquisition of rival mobile carrier T-Mobile USA, with critics of the deal saying it would have hurt consumers.
Wired broadband providers in the U.S. deliver speeds that are close to, and sometimes exceed, the service they promise customers, according to a report released Tuesday by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.
Instead of rejecting AT&T's proposed acquisition of T-Mobile USA, U.S. regulators should approve the deal with conditions that require AT&T to build out its mobile broadband network to more rural areas, said one telecom consultant and liberal activist.
New legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives would require mobile carriers to detail their "guaranteed minimum" data speeds and their network reliability statistics to potential customers.