Four US senators have called for the FCC, the US communications regulator, to review the deals made by mobile operators to offer certain devices on an exclusive basis, arguing that the arrangements may distort market competition. Reuters reports that, in a letter to the FCC’s acting chairman Michael Copps, the lawmakers urged the regulator to “examine this issue carefully and act expeditiously should you find that exclusivity agreements unfairly restrict consumer choice or adversely impact competition in the commercial wireless marketplace.” The letter was signed by three Democrats, John Kerry (chairman of the senate commerce subcommittee on communications, technology and the Internet), Byron Dorgan and Amy Klobuchar, and a Republican, Roger Wicker.

The politicians did not identify any specific deals they were concerned about, but high-profile ‘exclusive’ arrangements in the US include AT&T offering Apple’s iPhone, Verizon Wireless’ LG Voyager and Sprint’s deal to offer the new Palm Pre. In the letter to the FCC, the senators asked if such arrangements limited consumers’ access to new handsets, manipulated competition between operators and discouraged innovation. They added they will hold a hearing tomorrow to examine competition issues and determine if legislative action is necessary.