The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit on Wednesday upheld a $46.9 million fine against Verizon for violating FCC data rules in a decision that could trigger the U.S. Supreme Court to take the case, given the current split in the circuits (see 2509100019). In August, the D.C. Circuit upheld a similar fine against T-Mobile (see 2508150044), while the 5th Circuit earlier rejected a fine imposed on AT&T (see 2504180001).
SpaceX’s purchase of wireless licenses from EchoStar, announced Monday, wasn’t a surprise (see 2509080052), AT&T CEO John Stankey said Tuesday at a Goldman Sachs conference. “I'd probably argue that that may be the highest and best use of that spectrum for a variety of reasons because it does harmonize very well globally.”
The FCC released drafts Tuesday providing the details of items slated for votes at the agency’s Sept. 30 open meeting, including a Further NPRM on jamming contraband cellphones smuggled into correctional facilities and kicking off its 2022 quadrennial review of broadcast ownership rules. Two infrastructure items and an order scrubbing wireline regulations as part of the “Delete” proceeding round out the agenda (see 2509080060).
Commenters urged the FCC not to go too far to limit the information it reports in its Telecom Act Section 706 reports to Congress. Commissioners approved a notice of inquiry in August on the preparation of the reports, with an eye on more narrowly focusing them based on statutory language (see 2508050056). Comments were due Monday in docket 25-223.
The 3rd Generation Partnership Project’s initial approval of non-terrestrial network (NTN) technology as part of terrestrial networks was critical to the growth of satellite connections, experts said Tuesday during an RCR Wireless virtual forum. They agreed that the opportunities offered by NTN are just starting, with significant growth expected.
The 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on Wednesday upheld a $46.9 million fine against Verizon for violating FCC data rules. Judges heard the case in April and appeared skeptical of claims that Verizon had the right to a jury trial before the FCC handed down the fine (see 2504290060).
FCC commissioners are expected to take up an item next month that will reopen the agency’s prison-calling rules, approved last summer (see 2407180039), it said in a filing Sunday at the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The court is considering the order's legality and in July declined to hold the case in abeyance (see 2507160027).
The FCC will vote at its Sept. 30 open meeting on an NPRM that would kick off its 2022 quadrennial review of broadcast ownership rules, Chairman Brendan Carr said Monday in a blog post. Commissioners will also consider the NPRM looking at allowing correctional facilities to jam cellphone signals, which Carr unveiled Friday at a news conference in Arkansas (see 2509050055).
In a move that could shape the non-terrestrial network (NTN) market, EchoStar announced an agreement Monday to sell SpaceX its AWS-4 and H-block spectrum for about $17 billion, equally divided between cash and stock. The companies also agreed to enable EchoStar's Boost Mobile subscribers to access Starlink’s direct-to-cell service, and SpaceX will underwrite $2 billion in interest payments payable on EchoStar debt through November 2027. Industry officials acknowledged there are numerous unanswered questions about the deal and how it will be viewed by the FCC.
T-Mobile had zero interest in the 3.45 GHz spectrum AT&T is buying from EchoStar as part of a $23 billion deal (see 2508260005), T-Mobile executives told attendees at financial conferences Thursday, echoing the sentiments of Verizon (see 2509030027). AT&T plans to quickly deploy the spectrum (see 2509050024).