Monica Alleven

The Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) is adding its voice to those calling on the Federal Communications Commission to open a public comment period since new developments were made related to the proposed merger of T-Mobile and Sprint. WISPA, which previously called for a public comment period, notes the series of agreements that T-Mobile and Sprint entered into with the Department of Justice in July. Those conditions include the divestiture of certain spectrum assets to Dish Network.

Amid reports that the Department of Justice (DoJ) is exploring conditions that could create a fourth competitor if the proposed combination of T-Mobile and Sprint were to happen, analysts raised a number of questions around how such a deal might be accomplished.

Members of the 4Competition Coalition met recently with Federal Communications Commissioners Brendan Carr, Michael O’Rielly, and Geoffrey Starks, as well as advisers to Chairman Ajit Pai and other FCC officials, to reiterate their opposition to the proposed merger. The 4Competition Coalition consists of Dish Network, AFL-CIO, Common Cause, Rural Wireless Association and more than a dozen other entities. Their meetings come as several Wall Street analysts have lowered the odds that the deal will go through.

While the C-Band Alliance (CBA) proposal for the 3.7-4.2 GHz band remains in the lead, other proposals for this important midband spectrum could catch up, according to analysts at New Street Research. The 3.7-4.2 GHz band, also referred to as the C-band, is seen as one of the best chances for the US terrestrial wireless industry to get midband spectrum for 5G.

Wireless carriers would benefit if the Federal Communications Commission were to conduct an incentive auction for the 2.5 GHz airwaves that were allocated years ago for educational purposes, according to FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. The FCC in 2018 adopted a notice of proposed rulemaking to consider updating the framework for licensing Educational Broadband Service (EBS) spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band. Even though Sprint touts a boatload of 2.5 GHz spectrum, there’s a lot of EBS spectrum that lies fallow across about half of the U.S., mostly in rural areas.

While wireless operators generally and wholeheartedly support the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to classify SMS and MMS texting services as “information services” rather than “telecommunications services” or “commercial mobile services,” Verizon is urging the commission to go a step further and include Rich Communication Services (RCS) as well. In a draft of the declaratory ruling that the FCC will consider at its Dec 12 meeting, the FCC acknowledged that RCS is the next-generation SMS and is an IP-based asynchronous messaging protocol.

T-Mobile is known for breaking the rules in wireless, but now it wants Federal Communications Commission permission to bend the rules, so to speak, as part of a 600 MHz experiment in North Carolina. More specifically, T-Mobile wants to conduct tests in parts of NC to investigate the possibility of transmitting on portions of the 600 MHz B Block that’s spectrally closer to TV stations than permitted by the FCC’s rules. The operator says it will do so “in a manner that will not cause harmful interference to television viewers.” 

At the request of Federal Communications Commission staff, Verizon executives met with FCC officials just prior to Verizon’s Oct. 1 5G launch in parts of Houston, Los Angeles, Indianapolis, and Sacramento. In the meeting, Verizon executives once again noted the need for low-, mid- and high-band spectrum and encouraged the FCC to continue its work to make more spectrum available for 5G. The meeting was related to T-Mobile’s application to combine with Sprint, although Verizon didn't take an official position on that transaction.

Another Federal Communications Commission meeting is in the books with no final decisions on the 3.5 GHz Citizens Broadband Radio Services (CBRS) band. When asked about the timing of the 3.5 GHz item, FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly deferred to the chairman, who determines those things. Separately during Sept 26's press briefing, FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel answered the same reporter’s question with a decidedly different tone, but one that reiterated her previous level of frustration at the lack of movement on the issue.

The Federal Communications Commission has denied a request to stop the clock or extend the pleading cycle associated with the proposed T-Mobile/Sprint combination. The FCC denied the request by Public Knowledge, the Benton Foundation, and others to stop the review clock in order for operators to supplement their public interest statement with more specific information. In denying the request, the FCC said the the movants failed to establish any basis for granting the extension.