Neat Wireless, a minority-owned, managed and controlled facilities based operator of PCS Wireless telecommunications filed a complaint against AT&T Mobility with the FCC and DOJ that alleges illegal conduct. Neat claims AT&T Mobility engaged in "illegal conduct and behavior" that resulted in Neat Wireless' failure to compete in markets it acquired from AT&T Wireless. The markets were in Northern Arkansas and were part of the markets AT&T had to give up in order to get the AT&T Wireless-Cingular merger approved. AT&T Mobility ended up acquiring all of Neat's subscribers once it had to shut down.
Neat claims AT&T's maneuvers were a violation of public policy, good business practices, the intent of Congress, and the antitrust provisions of the laws of the U.S. as well as a violation of the Final Order of the FCC allowing the merger of AT&T Mobility and AWS.
For more on Neat's complaint:
- read this press release