Reed Hundt, chairman in 1997 when the FCC approved an order authorizing the satellite radio service, voiced general support for the XM-Sirius merger in comments filed at the agency. Hundt said the 1997 digital audio radio service (DARS) order’s bars on an operator’s owning both licensees weren’t necessarily meant to be permanent. The FCC sought comment during the summer on whether DARS is a “binding” rule, meaning that the commission would have to grant a waiver to approve the XM-Sirius merger (CD June 28 p5).
The Department of Defense is making considerable progress in relocating department licensees from spectrum that the FCC sold last year in the advanced wireless services (AWS) auction, T-Mobile said in a statement released late Monday. DoD is a major incumbent in the AWS spectrum, though 11 other agencies also must be cleared.
The Fixed Wireless Communications Coalition (FWCC) asked the FCC to issue a rulemaking that would make two channel pairs available to fixed wireless users in the 23 GHz band. The group noted in its petition for rulemaking the FCC would only be implementing a recommendation of NTIA. FWCC said since the proposal “will not disadvantage any party” the FCC should bypass seeking comments on its petition and go directly to release of a notice of proposed rulemaking on its own motion.
CTIA filed a petition at the FCC asking the agency to immediately prohibit the sale and use of cellular jammers and the unauthorized sale and use of wireless boosters and repeaters. CTIA warned that the reliability of wireless services “is now at risk of being severely undermined” unless the FCC acts quickly.
Sprint Nextel late Wednesday announced that it has joined the other major carriers and will prorate early termination fees over the length of a contract. The four major national carriers’ cutting ETFs may reduce pressure on the FCC to hold a hearing on the fees and on Congress to move forward on legislation requiring prorating, regulatory attorneys for carriers said Thursday. But weighing against those developments was a new report by AARP examining how carriers use ETFs to keep customers from leaving.
AT&T and Verizon Wireless urged the FCC to reject petitions to reconsider its revised roaming rules, filed last month. The Bells said the petitions would reopen questions resolved by the agency. But with AT&T and Verizon essentially lined up against the rest of the wireless industry, industry sources said Wednesday the FCC appears poised to eliminate or at least limit the “home roaming” exclusion. Under it, a carrier doesn’t have to honor a request from a counterpart with spectrum in a market, even if the spectrum hasn’t been cleared to allow network buildout. Commission sources agreed that the agency is likely to limit the exception.
T-Mobile joined AT&T and Verizon Wireless, becoming the third of the four major carriers to announce it will prorate early termination fees during the length of a contract. T- Mobile will change its ETF policy in the first half of next year. Carriers have been under pressure from the FCC and Congress to reduce ETFs, a major cause of consumer complaints (CD Oct 19 p3). FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said before the AT&T and T-Mobile announcements he was considering a hearing before the commission to examine ETFs in the wireless and other industries regulated by the agency. Sources said a hearing remains possible. Sprint hinted a change could be coming during a call to discuss its Q3 results (CD Nov 2 p6). “We want to do everything possible to create a great experience so customers want to stay with us for years,” said Sue Nokes, T-Mobile senior vice president of sales and customer service.
The FCC last week sent XM-Sirius a letter requesting more information and documents, as the agency probes the satellite operators’ merger. Bear Stearns said in a research note the information request should be taken as a sign that decision time on the merger is near.
The Wireless Communications Association launched a physically diverse networks forum, which will examine wireless’ role as government agencies and companies seek ways to make networks more redundant. The announcement of the forum Tuesday came as federal agencies begin to come into compliance with the fiscal year 2005 omnibus appropriations act, which required that all government-owned and leased buildings have redundant, reliable telecommunications networks.
The U.S. Department of Education threw its weight behind a proposal by the Alfred Mann Foundation (AMF) to establish a new wideband medical micropower network service (MMNS) in the 413-457 MHz band. AMF said in a September petition the devices that use spectrum to restore sensation and function to paralyzed limbs and organs require at least four 5 MHz channels to operate properly. The petition also received support from foundations and universities.