AT&T seeks regulatory roadblocks to wider broadband access

AT&T is notorious for incomplete wireline infrastructure in its 22-state service area. That produces sprawling broadband black holes that belie its motto of "Your World Delivered."

Now the big telco wants the Federal Communications Commission to block a joint venture between Sprint and Clearwire that would deploy WiMAX wireless broadband that could fill in many of AT&T's broadband black holes. AT&T's current strategy seems to have the perverse goal of preserving as many of its digital dark spots as possible for as long as possible. In some areas, AT&T is already under competitive pressure from Verizon Wireless Broadband, which has been harvesting customers who can't get wireline broadband from Ma Bell. Since it would likely offer faster thoughput speeds, the Sprint/Clearwire WiMAX venture would present an even greater threat to AT&T's dark territorial hegemony.