A NEWS RELEASE FROM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 25, 2011

Contact: Kristin Beltzer
517-487-6340

Business and Labor Agree

Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce Joins AFL-CIO, Labor Leaders in Support of Increased Broadband Access

Unions, Job Makers across Michigan Agree—Merger of AT&T, T-Mobile a Critical Move to Improve Broadband Access, Create Jobs and Spur Investment

LANSING, MI – Job makers at the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce today joined Michigan’s most prominent business and labor organizations including the AFL-CIO, Teamsters, SEIU, UFCW, the Communications Workers of America (CWA), the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce announcing their historic joint support of the proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Washington, D.C is reviewing the merger.

The merger would generate $8 billion in infrastructure investment over the next seven years and would create an estimated 55,000 to 96,000 desperately needed new direct and indirect jobs nationwide according to a recent analysis by the independent Economic Policy Institute. In addition, according to AT&T, the merger will help bring high-speed mobile broadband access to 98 percent of Michigan’s population.

“The proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile is an economic winner for Lansing and all of mid-Michigan,” said Tim Daman, President and CEO of the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce.  “Hi-speed Internet access empowers small businesses across the Capitol City region to do business anywhere in the world from anywhere in our region. The investment and technology that will result from this merger will not only spur investment—it will help our hometown businesses compete better across the state and around the world.”

AT&T’s 4G LTE network will support job makers in Michigan and across the nation, better connecting small businesses to the global marketplace while making possible a cycle of innovation and growth for device makers, application developers, cloud providers, content providers and customers. 

Mark Gaffney, President of the AFL-CIO said: “With the expansion of hi-speed Internet service comes new potential for economic growth and job creation. The Michigan AFL-CIO supports the proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile because we believe it is good for Michigan workers, consumers and society as a whole.”

In addition to new jobs and investment, the proposed merger will expand hi-speed Internet coverage to an additional 55 million more Americans than are covered under pre-merger plans. This faster, better service helps public institutions like hospitals, schools and government agencies transmit large amounts of files securely, safely and privately, while job makers and families benefit from the opportunity to connect quickly to these institutions anywhere, anytime. 

President Obama recently set a national goal of ensuring 98 percent of Americans have broadband Internet access within the next five years. The proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile alone will bring next generation mobile broadband access to more than 98 percent of Michigan’s population using private – not taxpayer – dollars. This one move will significantly reduce the number of job makers and families without access to critical hi-speed Internet service and will ensure that residents across the Michigan can experience the positive benefits broadband access provides, including improved access to education, economic opportunity and healthcare.