Senator Bernie Sanders is asking federal regulators to block or put significant conditions on Verizon Wireless’ planned acquisition of the Unicel mobile phone company in the state.
Sanders has written to the Federal Communications Commission to say that Verizon would have an effective monopoly in Vermont for cell phone service.
He also says Verizon uses a cellular technology — called CDMA — different from what many other companies use. He says that could leave tourists and other visitors to Vermont who use an AT&T cell phone, for example, unable to use their phones.
The senator is asking the FCC to place several conditions on the proposed merger if it is allowed to go through.