AT&T: Sprint Exploiting Roaming Laws for “Disinvestment” in Own Network

AT&T’s Bob Quinn posted up a damning article today regarding Sprint’s recent network deal in Kansas and Oklahoma. The deal allows Sprint to rely on roaming deals to cut costs, leaving much of western Oklahoma to rely on alternate carriers to provide network data and voice capabilities.

The FCC’s rulings on the roaming issue last year require carriers to provide both voice and data networks in rural areas. AT&T and Verizon both voiced their opposition to this rule— so called the Home Market Rule— which hurts both of the major cellular companies, boosting the smaller Sprint and T-Mobile in return.

According to Bob Quinn, “Instead of actually investing – and creating jobs – to build out its own network, Sprint wants its customers to roam on other carriers’ networks and investments.” Sprint, of course, was quick to offer a retort:

It’s disappointing, but not surprising, that AT&T wants to challenge a consumer’s right to access email, the Internet and other mobile broadband services wherever they may travel in the U.S. Along with Verizon Wireless, AT&T is the only other wireless carrier in America which opposes the FCC’s pro-consumer data roaming decision from last year.

The facts are that Sprint, as part of its Network Vision program, doubled its 2011 capital investment over 2010 to make tens of thousands of capacity upgrades, resulting in a better wireless experience for its customers. With these network investments, Sprint continues to offer consumers a better value than AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile.

So, what are your thoughts on Sprint’s move?