In a move that could rewrite the business model for how America’s wireless infrastructure gets built and maintained, NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association and AT&T recently reached an agreement to overhaul longstanding contracting practices. According to NATE, the deal includes fundamental changes the association expects will “advance material aspects of the tower construction ecosystem,” including phasing out the “turf …
The race for mid-band spectrum: Why speed and scale matter for America’s wireless future
By Iain Gillott, Vice President of Technology & Innovation, WIA Even better than Stella getting her groove back, the FCC got its spectrum auction authority back thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). And with it, an obligation to auction at least 800 MHz of spectrum within eight years, with a minimum of 100 MHz (but likely more) of Upper …
Boost turns to bust: American Tower sues to stop DISH ditching tower rent; towercos could lose $9 billion
American Tower has taken DISH Wireless to federal court, warning that the company’s recent multibillion-dollar spectrum selloff does not excuse its continued obligation to pay rent on thousands of cell towers across the United States—and that the financial fallout for the tower industry could be immense. In a declaratory judgment complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District …
NATE and CCA cheer FCC’s push to speed America’s broadband builds and cut red tape
Two key industry groups, NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association and the Competitive Carriers Association (CCA), applauded the Federal Communications Commission for advancing an item from its September Open Meeting yesterday, aimed at expediting broadband buildouts and removing unlawful state and local barriers that slow infrastructure deployment. Both actions align with Chairman Brendan Carr’s “Build America” agenda, unveiled in July at …
Tower crews lose work as Boost’s open RAN ambitions as the nation’s fourth carrier collapse
The prospect of Boost Mobile emerging as an actual “fourth national carrier” has collapsed following EchoStar’s multi-billion-dollar spectrum sales to AT&T and SpaceX. Together, the transactions dismantle Dish/EchoStar’s original 5G greenfield buildout and confirm that the U.S. market will remain dominated by the Big Three—AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile—for the foreseeable future. AT&T deal: Spectrum sale and RAN takeover In late …
AT&T to buy EchoStar spectrum for $23B, adding 600 MHz and 3.45 GHz licenses across ~400 U.S. markets
AT&T said it will acquire a nationwide bundle of wireless spectrum from EchoStar for about $23 billion in cash, a move the company says will bolster its 5G coverage and capacity and accelerate growth in both wireless and home-internet services. The deal, which is subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to close in mid-2026. Under a related agreement, AT&T and …
‘Tracking device’ ruling: Court upholds $92M fine; T-Mobile and Sprint’s pay-first move ends jury bid
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld $92 million in Federal Communications Commission forfeitures against T-Mobile and Sprint for failing to safeguard customer location data. Writing for a unanimous court, Judge Florence Y. Pan, joined by Judges Karen LeCraft Henderson and Brad Garcia, rejected the carriers’ bid to vacate penalties tied to 2018–2019 …
Issa Asad, Q Link founder, sentenced to five years for largest criminal FCC fraud in U.S. history
In a stunning fall from grace, Issa Asad, the 51-year-old founder and CEO of Q Link Wireless, was sentenced this week to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to orchestrating one of the largest fraud schemes ever prosecuted involving a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program. The Florida-based telecom executive, whose company built its business under the FCC’s Lifeline …
Deepening the digital divide: Pew says cities will gain as rural towns lose in broken broadband rollout
Despite historic federal investments in broadband infrastructure, a new report by The Pew Charitable Trusts warns that the United States may fall short of its universal connectivity goals—not because of insufficient funding, but due to inconsistent, outdated, and incomplete federal data that fails to capture where broadband is needed most and how well it works. Pew’s July 8, 2025 assessment, “To …
T-Mobile–NATE landmark agreement targets 1099 abuse, matrix pricing and subcontractor reform
A new agreement between NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association and T-Mobile, signed on July 8, promises significant improvements for wireless contractors who have been struggling to maintain a semblance of profitability with current take-it-or-leave-it matrix pricing. Under the framework, T-Mobile will implement site-specific and regionally adjusted pricing, introduce a transparent “Scope to Quote” tool by September 1, and raise …
FCC Chair Carr: Real tower work deserves real wages, not 1099 exploitation by unvetted and foreign crews
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr returned to familiar ground last week in Sioux Falls, South Dakota—both literally and politically—to unveil what he’s calling the “Build America Agenda,” a sweeping deregulatory policy initiative aimed at accelerating infrastructure deployment, restoring U.S. leadership in wireless and space, and reforming the labor environment for America’s telecom workforce. Carr delivered the speech at VIKOR’s tower climber …
Supreme Court upholds the FCC’s Universal Service Fund, securing rural connectivity and other assistance
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6–3 to uphold the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund (USF)—a multibillion-dollar initiative that subsidizes internet and phone access for rural communities, schools, libraries, low-income households, tribal lands, and rural healthcare providers. The Court rejected claims that Congress had improperly delegated tax-setting authority to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and allowed a private nonprofit, …
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr selects VIKOR headquarters in Sioux Falls to kick off “Build America” campaign
VIKOR, a national leader in wireless and broadband infrastructure services, is proud to announce that Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr will launch his nationwide “Build America” infrastructure campaign live at VIKOR’s Headquarters in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on Wednesday, July 2, at 11:30 a.m. CT. This event marks the kickoff of the FCC’s renewed focus on accelerating deployment of critical communications infrastructure across the country, …
FCC warns China Mobile USA over failure to comply with U.S. security probe with high daily fines proposed
In a significant escalation of regulatory pressure, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued a Citation and Order to China Mobile International (USA) Inc., signaling potential fines if the telecom giant does not comply with a long-running investigation into its U.S. operations The FCC’s enforcement action, detailed in document DA 25‑512, stems from a probing inquiry launched in November 2022. Since …
Trusty’s FCC confirmation signals pro-deployment shift for wireless infrastructure contractors
UPDATE – The U.S. Senate confirmed Olivia Trusty for a full five-year term as commissioner of the FCC this afternoon in a 53–45 vote. The tally matched the Senate’s vote the night before, which approved Trusty to serve the remaining days of former Chair Jessica Rosenworcel’s term, ending June 30. Trusty was nominated for both the short-term appointment and the full term by …
Tech-neutral in name only? Fiber retains structural edge under NTIA’s new BEAD policy
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) June 6, 2025, BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice reframes the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program with a stated goal of “technology neutrality.” But a close read reveals that while the language has changed, the outcome is likely to remain fiber-centric. The notice formally eliminates the Biden-era “fiber preference” and other regulatory requirements …
Senator Cruz’s spectrum auction revival push aims to inject up to $88 billion into the U.S. economy
The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) authority to conduct spectrum auctions—central to deploying next-generation wireless networks—has expired. But a significant move by Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) has energized efforts to reauthorize that authority and reinvigorate the U.S. spectrum pipeline. His proposal, included in the recently released budget reconciliation text, is now gaining powerful industry backing. Sen. …
Commissioner Simington pulls the plug, FCC is left without power
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Nathan Simington announced today that he will resign on Friday, concluding a tenure that began with his appointment by President Donald Trump in December 2020. Simington’s departure comes amid a period of significant transition within the FCC, as Democratic Commissioner Geoffrey Starks also plans to step down this Friday. In a statement, Simington expressed gratitude for …
Charlie Ergen’s high-stakes bluff: EchoStar’s $326 Million poker game with the FCC
EchoStar’s latest turmoil has all the markings of a high-stakes poker game – and Charlie Ergen is betting big. The satellite mogul’s company stunned markets by skipping a $326 million interest payment due on May 30, 2025, citing “uncertainty” caused by an aggressive FCC review of its 5G spectrum licenses, casting a dark shadow over wireless contractor workflows. This rare move …
EchoStar’s missed $326 million payment casts a dark shadow over wireless contractor workflows
EchoStar Corporation’s recent decision to skip a $326 million interest payment on its 10.75% senior spectrum-secured notes due 2029 has introduced significant uncertainty into its 5G cell tower buildout program. This move, triggered by an ongoing Federal Communications Commission (FCC) investigation into EchoStar’s compliance with 5G deployment obligations in the 2 GHz spectrum band, could have several implications for the …
