FCC grants T-Mobile US permission to sell spectrum to Verizon
The Federal Communications Commission rejected a complaint by SiriusXM claiming T-Mobile US was responsible for solving interference issues near its towers. As part of the ruling, the FCC gave T-Mobile US permission to sell some of its spectrum to Verizon Wireless.
SiriusXM previously asked the FCC not to grant anymore spectrum licenses because it would make interference issues worse. The FCC ruled in favor of the spectrum swap after a review found there was insufficient evidence to back SiriusXM’s claims. T-Mobile US has claimed all along it is using its spectrum in accordance with current regulations and it is the satellite radio provider’s responsibility to redesign its radios to fix the interference problems.
SiriusXM’s signal problems were first detected last year when customers in New York City complained their radios went silent during their morning commute. It was later discovered in other major cities across the country.
Both companies agree the issue is a physical quirk called “intermodulation,” which happens when two radio frequencies combine to create a third. The new wave in this case is what is causing the disturbance.
SiriusXM has said T-Mobile US’ increased use of AWS-1 airwaves in the 1.7/2.1 GHz spectrum band is the root of the problem so it wants the carrier to share in the costs to find a fix.
In spite of the ruling, SiriusXM spokesman Patrick Reilly says the company is “working constructively” with T-Mobile US to find a fix. If those talks don’t prove fruitful, Reilly says SiriusXM will explore “other avenues.”
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