CNBC Press Releases

MARTIN: WELL, AS I SAID THAT'S PART OF THE NEGOTIATION AND PART OF THE LEVERAGE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES. ONCE THE TWO PARTIES DECIDE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO ENGAGE IN A NEGOTIATION LIKE THAT THEN THE GOVERNMENT REALLY STAYS OUT OF IT.

HAINES: AM I STILL GOING HAVE TO THROW OUT MY ANALOG TV SET ON FEBRUARY OF NEXT YEAR?

MARTIN: YOU CAN GET A CONVERTER BOX. WE'LL CHANGE FROM ANALOG TO DIGITAL BROADCASTING NEXT FEBRUARY.

HAINES: YOU'RE STICKING TO THAT TIMETABLE?

MARTIN: I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE CONSUMERS TO UNDERSTAND IT WILL HAVE CHALLENGES BUT IT IS IMPORTANT AND A GOOD IDEA AND FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS. WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN SOME OF THAT SPECTRUM AND SOLD IT OFF IN THE RECENT AUCTION WE HAD AS I MENTIONED A FEW MINUTES AGO. WE RAISED $20 BILLION FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF WIRELESS BROAD BAND SERVICES AND WE PROVIDED IT BACK TO PUBLIC SAFETY SO THEY CAN HAVE THE NEXT GENERATION OF BROAD BAND SERVICES TO PROTECT EVERYONE. WE'LL STICK TO THAT DATE, YEAH.

HAINES: ARE YOU GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THESE -- WHAT SOME PEOPLE CONSIDER TO BE EXORBITANT PER LINE FEES WHEN YOU CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF YOUR CONTRACT?

MARTIN: WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON IT NEXT WEEK WHERE WE ASK WHETHER OR NOT CONSUMERS SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE CHARGED AN EARLY TERMINATION FEE THE WAY THEY ARE AND WHETHER THOSE BUSINESS PRACTICES WE SHOULD TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT. CONSUMERS DO DESERVE TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE THEIR CELLULAR SERVICE AND MAKE SURE IT WORKS THE WAY THEY WERE PROMISED IN THE STORE AND IF THEY BRING IT BACK, NOT BE CHARGED THAT FEE. WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT AND CONSIDER ADOPTING A NATIONAL FRAME WORK FOR IT. I'M CONCERNED THAT WE COULD HAVE A SERIES OF DIFFERENT STATE RULES AND REQUIREMENTS THAT WOULD DEVELOP THAT WOULD MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR CONSUMERS AND MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE WIRELESS SERVICES.

ERIN BURNETT: I GOT TO SAY AS SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD SAID TO SWITCH SERVICES BECAUSE IT WAS SUBPAR AND YOU DON'T FIND OUT UNTIL LATER, THOSE FEES ARE PAINFUL.ONE QUESTION FOR YOU ON SOMETHING YOU MENTIONED. YOU SAID THAT WE GOT BETTER BROADBAND THAN ANYONE ELSE. WE HEAR ABOUT HOW EUROPE HAS FASTER INTERNET ACCESS AND SOUTH KOREA IS FASTER AND PARTS OF CHINA AS WELL. WHY IS THAT? IT WOULD SEEM WE WOULD WANT TO BE THE BEST AT THAT.

MARTIN: I THINK WE HAVE MADE A LOT OF PRACTICE IN THE BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. THERE IS CERTAIN CHALLENGES HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AS FAR AS ALL OF THE RURAL AREAS THAT WE HAVE TO TRY TO CONNECT. ONE OF THE DIFFERENCES WHEN YOU COMPARE US INTERNATIONALLY IS MANY OF THE OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE DENSER POPULATION SO IT'S EASIER FOR THEM TO CONNECT EVERYONE TO BROADBAND AND THEY CAN PROVIDE FASTER SPEEDS EASIER. IF YOU LOOK AT IT ON A STATE BY STATE BASIS COMPARED TO SOME OF THE COUNTRY, MASSACHUSETTS IS COMPARABLE TO JAPAN AND NEW JERSEY TO KOREA. WE HAVE SIMILAR BROADBAND SPEEDS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS IN THIS COUNTRY.

MARK HAINES: WHERE DO WE STAND ON XM-SIRIUS?

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