FREE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY WIRELESS broadband for the masses may be on the way. So may messy litigation to keep it grounded. The Federal Communications Commission tentatively concluded operations in the advanced wireless services-3 band will not interfere with T-Mobile USA Inc. and others licensed in...
Election Day 2008 is shaping up as monumental for the wireless industry.The Federal Communications Commission is poised to vote Nov. 4 on the Sprint Nextel Corp.-Clearwire Corp. and the Verizon Wireless-Alltel Communications L.L.C. tie-ups as well as on wireless operations in TV white spaces,...
The Federal Communications Commission tentatively concluded that nationwide broadband operations in the advanced wireless services-3 band will not interfere with T-Mobile USA Inc. and others in the advanced wireless services-1 band, possibly signaling the agency is close to issuing final rules for an auction...
Verizon Wireless offered to divest another 15 markets as part its $28.1 billion play for Alltel Communications L.L.C., but the proposed transaction is becoming trickier by the day because of fluid economic, regulatory and political factors.In a filing with the Federal Communications Commission, the...
In an unexpected twist, chipmaker giant Intel Corp. urged the Federal Communications Commission to keep intact proposed interference safeguards that T-Mobile USA Inc. insists are inadequate to prevent interference from wireless broadband operations in the advanced wireless services-3 band. Moreover, Intel warned the...
Editor's Note: This is one of a series of stories examining the current economic downturn and how it affects the wireless industry. For more on this topic, visit RCRWireless.com/ Economic Downturn.The potentially cataclysmic collapse of Wall Street has injected a new, pressing issue into...
The government's goal of restructuring 700 MHz public-safety/commercial rules by year's end and conducting a re-auction in mid-2009 could be in jeopardy, with key House members urging Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin to slow down the rulemaking so parties have more time to...
T-Mobile USA Inc. said government testing revealed interference from operations in a spectrum block that Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin wants to auction for wireless broadband and that is situated adjacent to wireless licenses for which the No. 4 cellular carrier paid $4.2...
It's eBay for the wireless age.Spectrum Bridge Inc. launched a new, first-of-its-kind online trading exchange for spectrum, saying it has commitments from license holders with wireless assets worth $250 million."Our online marketplace solves many problems people face when trying to buy, sell and lease...
Editor's Note: Following the Republican National Convention, RCR Wireless News Bureau Chief Jeffrey Silva looked at the McCain camp's tech and telecom initiatives. Last week, he reported on the Obama telecom team.John McCain's unpredictably fitting pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) as his...
Hello! And welcome to our Thursday column, Worst of the Week. There's a lot of nutty stuff that goes on in this industry, so this column is a chance for us at RCRWireless.com to rant and rave about whatever rubs us the wrong way....
Following up on a similar filing earlier this week, the Rural Telecommunications Group Inc. filed an individual petition with the Federal Communications Commission urging the agency to deny Verizon Wireless' pending acquisition of Alltel Communications L.L.C.The new filing touches on a number of issues...
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin said he wants action before month's end to relax roaming rules and freeze further licensing of wireless microphones in the 700 MHz band as regulators explore policy options to address potential inference from allegedly illegal operation of wireless...
Nextwave Wireless Inc. sold nearly two-thirds of its advanced wireless services spectrum for $150.1 million. The spectrum went to four different buyers. The largest chunk landed in the hands of T-Mobile USA Inc. for roughly $98 million. The deal gives Nextwave a tidy profit...
Verizon Wireless, positioning itself to regain the top spot in the mobile-phone industry, agreed to initial divestiture requirements by the Department of Justice and offered roaming concessions in hopes of winning government approval of its proposed $28 billion purchase of Alltel Communications L.L.C. But...
The Canadian government's auction of 105 megahertz of spectrum in the 1710-1755/2110-2155 MHz band, also known as the advanced wireless services spectrum (similar to what was offered by the Federal Communications Commission in 2006), wrapped up this morning after 331 rounds of bidding that...
An association of rural wireless providers petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to re-impose a spectrum cap in light of the growing market presence of AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless in the mobile phone industry."In the absence of a spectrum cap, Verizon and AT&T will...
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION CHAIRMAN KEVIN MARTIN said it will be hard to hold either the D-Block re-auction or advanced wireless services-3 bidding this year because of intense controversy over rules. Thus, competition for two valuable blocks of public airwaves likely will play out under...
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin is coming under mounting pressure to back off a controversial plan to auction a national wireless Internet license that would require the winning bidder to provide free broadband service, open access and filtering to block obscene content. But...
The Federal Communications Commission begrudgingly agreed to a brief public comment extension on a controversial free-wireless Internet plan. The plan is opposed by major mobile-phone carriers, which fear interference to their operations, and Republican lawmakers, because of license conditions they claim will lead again...
T-Mobile USA Inc. asked the Federal Communications Commission to extend up to three months the public comment cycle for a controversial free wireless Internet plan, a request that would provide additional time for interference testing and likely delay a final decision until after the...
Two key House Republicans urged the Federal Communications Commission not to attach conditions to advanced wireless services-3 spectrum and to forgo approval of final rules for that band until after the 700 MHz D-Block re-auction. "We think your proposed rules could repeat this mistake...
Comments on what the FCC should do with the 700 MHz D Block ran the gamut, with some urging the agency to tighten its rules on a public-private sharing of the spectrum while others recommended the D Block be auctioned without any conditions whatsoever.The...
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION CHAIRMAN KEVIN MARTIN APPEARS DETERMINED to win approval for a free, family-friendly national wireless broadband plan, despite being forced to delay an upcoming vote on the measure after concerns were raised about potential interference to mobile-phone systems and about a content-filter...
