FCC Now Looking Into Exclusive Handset Deals With Mobile Carriers

After some prodding from John Kerry earlier in the week, the FCC is going to investigate exclusive deals struck between phone makers and mobile carriers, to see whether or not they stifle consumer choices and the development of new technology.

According to PC World, FCC Chairman Michael Copps hinted that if they do discover unfavorable effects as a result of exclusive handset deals, they won’t be opposed to regulation. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar also rambled on, saying something about how if Microsoft and IBM had exclusive deals Google would have never existed. Um, what?

But there’s a twist! AT&T’s Paul Roth fired back at this line of thinking, mentioning that exclusive deals prevent the mobile handset world from completely devolving into a lowest common denominator mentality when it comes to new tech. Both sides have valid points, I suppose. So let the battle begin. [PC World]