Dish Network's DBS subsidiary will offer $4 billion in senior secured notes, using the proceeds to fund the "potential purchase" of wireless spectrum licenses and for the buildout of "wireless infrastructure," said an 8-K Monday. Existing Dish wireless spectrum licenses may be used as collateral for the "intercompany loan," it said. The money potentially will be used to buy licenses in the 3.45 GHz auction, said New Street’s Jonathan Chaplin. “While there can be no guarantee that this is for 3.45 GHz spectrum, the filing specifies the proceeds will be used ‘in order to finance the potential purchase of wireless spectrum licenses and for general corporate purposes, including the buildout of wireless infrastructure,’” he said: “We don’t think Dish needs outside funding for the network right now." He thinks it's "certainly plausible this is for 3.45 GHz spectrum, given the auction’s price has nearly settled (the auction will continue through technical procedures for at least another month, however),” he said.

NTIA raised concerns about use of 5030-5091 MHz by drones within the National Radio Quiet Zone, in comments on behalf of the National Science Foundation. NTIA said it previously clarified that the scope of services “should be limited to the relevant allocation of aeronautical mobile (route) service (AM(R)S) communications.” NTIA said that alone won’t address all concerns. “We accordingly would recommend that additional criteria be developed, should this proceeding continue, to minimize … impact to particular radio astronomy sites, especially from low-altitude operations,” said the filing, posted Friday in docket RM-11798. Use of the band for drones has general support (see 2110130044).

The FirstNet board meets 11 a.m. Nov. 17 at the Park Hyatt Hotel, 1201 24th St. NW, Washington, says Friday's Federal Register. The physical meeting is closed to the public because of COVID-19 restrictions. It will be streamed.

Verizon asked the FCC for a waiver of its handset unlocking requirement for devices on the Tracfone network, after it completes a buy of the prepaid provider. “Wireless providers face a significant risk that opportunists will acquire heavily discounted devices and sell them or take them elsewhere, diverting subsidies intended to help customers obtain wireless service,” Verizon said in a filing posted Thursday in docket 21-112. Under rules for the 700 MHz C block Verizon bought in the 2008 auction, it’s subject to unique “open platform” requirements, including a limited ability to lock devices, the carrier said. “Since 2019, Verizon has operated under a waiver that allows Verizon to apply a 60-day lock to devices that include the 700 MHz C Block frequencies,” it said: “Verizon automatically unlocks the device at the conclusion of the 60-day period, absent evidence of fraud.” The problem is “some TracFone devices are not capable of unlocking automatically, and Verizon will need some temporary relief from the automatic unlocking commitment for those devices.”

Dish Network said T-Mobile delaying its CDMA shutdown by three months isn’t reason to deny Dish’s petition asking the California Public Utilities Commission to require the wireless carrier adhere to a three-year migration timeline. “While additional time is welcome, three months is not nearly sufficient to protect Boost consumers in California -- many of whom are low income -- who are expected to still be using the CDMA network beyond March 31,” Dish wrote Wednesday in A.18-07-011. Dish said similar last week after T-Mobile's announcement (see 2110250042). Dish will still have well over a million customers on the CDMA network by the cutoff, Chairman Charlie Ergen said on a quarterly call Thursday. “If T-Mobile has their way, those customers will lose service,” he said. “Based on T-Mobile’s testimony in California, they won’t even be able to make 911 calls.” Dish doesn’t oppose the shutdown, said Ergen. “Technology needs to advance, but you can’t do it on the back of customers.” T-Mobile will have to “live with the fact that they’re anti-consumer,” he said. T-Mobile didn’t comment.

OMB OK'd for three years information collection requirements in revised rules for hearing aid-compatible handsets (see 2102220064), says Thursday's Federal Register. The rules are effective immediately.

OMB OK'd information collection requirements in FCC March rules for a 3.45 GHz auction (see 2103170061) and the rules take effect immediately, says Thursday's Federal Register. The rules require “3.45 GHz Service licensees, as well as incumbent, non-Federal, secondary radiolocation operators, to comply with certain technical rules, coordination practices, and information-sharing requirements designed to ensure the efficient deployment of flexible-use wireless services in the 3.45 GHz band without causing harmful interference,” the notice said.

The rate of 5G deployments will accelerate over the next five years, reaching 2.6 billion subscriptions globally in 2026, contributing significantly to mobile operator revenue of $942 billion that year, projected ABI Research Tuesday. China is the “key contributor” to 5G market momentum, currently generating more than two-thirds of the global 5G subscriptions, it said. The U.S. is second in 5G adoption with more than 50 million subscribers, followed by Japan and South Korea, it said. ABI estimates global 5G subscriptions will reach 507 million by the end of 2021, almost double the rate of 2020 adoption, it said.

The FCC can’t force AT&T to delay the planned Feb. 22 shutdown of its 3G network (see 2109150041), Free State Foundation Director-Policy Studies Seth Cooper blogged Tuesday. “The FCC lacks legal authority to mandate 3G network delivery of private mobile IoT services,” he said: “Those service offerings are individually negotiated with alarm companies, and they are not subject to common carriage rules.” Any attempt to force AT&T to keep the network open “effectively would rewrite existing contracts between AT&T and alarm companies,” he said. The Alarm Industry Communications Committee, meanwhile, fired back at AT&T’s latest filing on the shutdown (see 2110290058). AT&T “fails once again to refute several key points by AICC regarding the detrimental impact on the public regarding their 3G shut down,” a spokesperson emailed: “AICC does not agree that, in the name of competition, the FCC should allow millions of vulnerable customers, including the elderly and disabled, to lose lifesaving monitoring services. AICC is simply requesting a temporary delay due to the pandemic so that we have the time AT&T originally offered us to upgrade our existing 3G customers.”

T-Mobile didn’t lead the wireless industry in postpaid phone net adds in Q3, the carrier said Tuesday, tabulating 673,000 for the quarter, less than the 928,000 by AT&T but more than the 429,000 by Verizon. Year to date, T-Mobile had 2.1 million postpaid adds and an industry leading 1.3 million total postpaid adds in the quarter. CEO Mike Sievert questioned whether the growth reported by “the other guys” was sustainable, on a call with analysts. “As competition heats up you shouldn’t paint us all with the same brush,” he said. “Many of you have raised questions about the promotional environment and also about the source and sustainability of recent industry growth,” he said. “We like healthy competition because we historically win when customers start shopping around. Our competitors are leaning into device offers” and “expensive promotions” and “don’t have compelling pricing or a competitive 5G network.” Sievert said: “They’re trying to temporarily buy down churn while they sell assets and come up with a plan.” AT&T and Verizon didn’t immediately comment. Smaller markets and rural areas generated about one-third of T-Mobile’s new accounts, though the company is just starting to target those markets, he said. Customers are also coming to T-Mobile because of its 5G network, he said. “We’re years ahead on 5G … and we’re positioned to stay ahead,” he said. T-Mobile also added more than 1 million new accounts in the past year, while Verizon had none and AT&T didn’t report that metric, Sievert said. Net income was $691 million, with service revenue of $14.7 billion. Some 90% of Sprint customer traffic is now carried on the T-Mobile network and 53% of Sprint customers have been “fully transitioned” to the combined network, the company said. Some are benefiting from Sprint churn, but “we’re working to make that very short-lived,” Sievert said. AT&T and Verizon didn't comment by our deadline.