The FCC approved the controversial T-Mobile-Sprint $26.5 billion merger along party lines today, closing the FCC’s review. Democratic Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks voted against the deal, with Rosenworcel being the most vociferant. “We’ve all seen what happens when markets become more concentrated after a merger like this one. In the airline industry, it brought us baggage fees and …
Swarztrauber, FCC Chairman Pai’s new policy advisor, is well-versed on towers and wireless infrastructure
UPDATE: September 30, 2019 – In the FCC’s official statement announcing that FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has appointed Evan Swarztrauber as his policy advisor, Pai said, “I’m pleased to have Evan join our team. Having served in Commissioner Carr’s office, he brings a wealth of experience on telecom issues and is well positioned to advance our policy agenda.” Commissioner Brendan Carr …
South Dakota picks up monumental $705.5 million in FCC’s $5 Billion rural broadband funding
Taking further steps to close the digital divide, the FCC has authorized over $4.9 billion in support over the next decade for maintaining, improving, and expanding affordable rural broadband for 455,334 homes and businesses served by 171 carriers in 39 states and American Samoa, including 44,243 locations on Tribal lands. South Dakota was the largest beneficiary at $ $705.5 million. …
Following FCC’s scathing outage report, CenturyLink might be bracing for a serious fine
The FCC has released a scathing report detailing the cause and impact of a nationwide CenturyLink network outage that occurred late last year, along with recommendations to help prevent similar outages from occurring in the future. It could be a prelude to a serious fine, especially considering that in 2015, CenturyLink was zapped with a $16 million fine from the …
FCC chief formally recommends approval of the T-Mobile/Sprint marriage
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai today shared a draft Order that would approve, subject to conditions, the proposed merger between T-Mobile and Sprint. “After one of the most exhaustive merger reviews in Commission history, the evidence conclusively demonstrates that this transaction will bring fast 5G wireless service to many more Americans and help close the digital divide in rural …
FCC concludes that 5G RF exposure is safe in America
The FCC has restated its conviction that 5G does not pose a health risk in America and it will not change its existing RF exposure limits, emphasizing that such limits are already among the safest in the world. “The available scientific evidence to date does not support adverse health effects in humans due to exposures at or under the current …
DOJ greenlights T-Mobile-Sprint merger, requiring them to give up 20,000 cell sites
The Department of Justice today approved the merger of T-Mobile and Sprint, allowing the $26 billion deal to move forward after years of exploration by the nation’s third and fourth-largest wireless companies. The merger required the approval of the DOJ which enforces antitrust law, and the FCC which directs the telecommunications industry. In May, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai broadcast his …
The Wall Street party for tower owners may be ending leads Fast-Forward Friday articles
Article Media For tower owners, the Wall Street party may be ending Light Reading FCC set hearing for St. Louis AMs allegedly controlled by convicted felon Inside Radio How Eco-Site plans to benefit from the rush to build 5G infrastructure The News & Observer FCC proposes new rules to govern communications at multiple tenant buildings The National Law Review “This …
Education will be harmed after contentious vote that opened up 2.5 GHz band: FCC Democrats
In a controversial 3-2 vote yesterday, the FCC agreed to free up the 2.5 GHz band of wireless spectrum for 5G services. Known as the Educational Broadband Service, the band had been used for educational purposes since the 1960s by educational institutions and nonprofits supporting education. The unused and underused mid-band spectrum will now go on the auction block. The only …
Miranda Allen selected to represent NATE on FCC’s job skills and training opportunities working group
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai today announced his appointments to serve on two Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC) working groups: (1) the Broadband Infrastructure Deployment Job Skills and Training Opportunities working group, and (2) the Increasing Broadband Investment in Low-Income Communities working group. Miranda Allen, CEO of NATE member company RSI Corp of Kowa, Kansas, has been selected to …
Cell phones are probably not making us grow horns leads Fast-Forward Friday articles
Article Media Cell phones are probably not making us grow horns Smithsonian Removing Chinese telecommunications equipment from U.S. would cost more than $1 billion Broadban Breakfast Pai re-charters diversity advisory group, FCC seeking new members Inside Radio Researchers sent a fake, unblockable presidential alert to a 50,000-seat stadium Digital Trends Supreme Court leaves unanswered whether District Courts must defer to …
Former FCC adviser and fiber CEO gets five years for $270 million investor scam
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Elizabeth Ann Pierce, the former chief executive officer of Quintillion, a telecommunications company in Alaska, and the former head of the FCC’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC), was sentenced last week in Manhattan federal court to 60 months in prison for defrauding investors in New …
Wireless infrastructure workers are the ‘unsung heroes’: FCC Chairman Pai
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai gave a double-tip of the hardhat to America’s wireless infrastructure companies and their workers during his keynote speech before the New York State Wireless Association on Friday, citing them as the ‘unsung heroes of the digital revolution.’ “Without your work, there would be no app store; no Uber; no 24- hour health monitoring. You not only …
NRECA claims pole attachment rates not a barrier to rural broadband deployment
Broadband deployment in rural America is not impeded by pole attachment rates, according to a report released by Brian O’Hara, regulatory director, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), in a white paper, “Pole Attachment Policies and Issues.” O’Hara’s research indicates that most communications companies will not provide broadband to all of rural America even when the pole attachment rental rates are …
A Dish carrier network could set the table for higher contractor margins
Dish Network might play the pivotal role in the Department of Justice’s approval of the proposed T-Mobile/Sprint merger after The Wall Street Journal reported that Dish is the lead bidder on the spectrum T-Mobile and Sprint are divesting in their bid of winning regulatory approval for their merger valued at $26.5 billion. Charlie Ergen, who controls Dish, has approximately $10 …
FCC believes bank fraudster turned shock-jock illegally controls four AM radio stations
St. Louis radio shock-jock Robert Romanik is being investigated by the FCC to identify if he has a controlling ownership in radio stations that carry his show which would be a violation of federal law since he had been convicted of felony offenses – more specifically – in 1997 he obstructed justice by lying 150 times to a grand jury …
T-Mobile/Sprint merger heading towards the finish line with open arms from the FCC
Today, T-Mobile US, Inc. and Sprint Corporation committed to the Federal Communications Commission that they would take a series of significant steps if the companies’ merger application is approved. That move caused Chairman Ajit Pai to recommend to his colleagues that the FCC approve the proposed $26 billion deal. Commissioner Brendan Carr agreed, stating: “Approving this combination will help the …
Threatening to kill FCC chief’s family lands caller in jail for 18 months
A California man was sentenced today to more than one and a half years in prison for threatening to kill the family of Ajit Pai, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. “Threatening to actually kill a federal official’s family because of a disagreement over policy is not only inexcusable, it is criminal,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the …
Commish’s push for rural broadband was scripted 122 years ago
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, the agency’s point man for encouraging why and how the country should unite in order for the US to become the world’s leader in rolling out 5G, retweeted a 122- year-old article (below) from The Daily Northwestern lamenting phone dependency, a “disease from which friends or those afflicted suffer.” Fast-forward to 2020 and the irony of …
Belting up inside the Beltway is seen by millions of viewers
$20.4 billion opportunity fund and third auction announced President Trump’s 5G press conference from the Roosevelt room (video below) in the White House on Friday spotlighted the nation’s tower climbers as they surrounded him with support during his and FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai’s presentation. It was a proud industry moment as President Trump complimented infrastructure builders, as many millions of …
