Bloomberg

Amazon Seeks Another 4,538 Satellites to Bolster its Constellation

Amazon's Kuiper Systems asked US regulators for permission to launch another 4,538 satellites that would bolster its constellation as it competes with Elon Musk’s SpaceX for broadband-from-space customers. The additions would bring Kuiper’s constellation to 7,774 satellites, the company said in a filing with the Federal Communications Commission on November 4.

Dish Partners With Crypto Shop Helium to Help Expand 5G Network

Dish Network, which is in the process of building a fourth nationwide US wireless network, has enlisted the help of Helium to extend 5G signals through customers’ hotspots. The plan calls for customers to install transmitters in their homes or offices. These devices work on unlicensed 5G airwaves and customers will be paid in cryptocurrency to host the hotspots. Dish is under pressure to build a next-generation 5G network using its arsenal of airwave licenses that carry a use-or-lose requirement.

EU’s Ambitious New Tech Rules to Be Delayed Further Into 2022

European Union countries will delay a key target of finalizing new rules hitting tech platforms by the spring of 2022, now saying they aim to reach a deal “as soon as possible” ahead of a leaders’ summit on October 21. The EU’s Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act are two heavily debated pieces of legislation unveiled in 2020 by the European Commission that seek to curb the power of Big Tech. The Digital Markets Act seeks to curb anti-competitive behavior, while the Digital Services Act would regulate online content.

Startup Takes on Big Telecom, Starting in Colorado Springs

Startup internet company Underline, which focuses on community infrastructure, is now hoping to disrupt the telecommunications industry by building open access fiber networks across 2,500 underserved communities. The company says its first full-scale deployment will break ground October 19 in Colorado Springs (CO) — where 10 percent of all households have no internet access. In an open access model, a city or a private company like Underline builds and maintains the physical infrastructure, and invites multiple independent providers to run services on the network.

Billionaires Musk, Ergen and Dell Brawling Over Spectrum at FCC

Satellite entrepreneur Charlie Ergen and computer whiz Michael Dell have a plan to open up little-used wireless frequencies to millions of customers with a new 5G service. The proposal has sparked a ruckus among billionaires. Elon Musk’s SpaceX filed an objection with the Federal Communications Commission saying the “scheme” would wreck his broadband-from-orbit service.  Ergen’s Dish Network responded with an FCC filing that accused SpaceX of “flimsy” and “far-fetched” criticism.

T-Mobile Cuts Home Internet Price by 17 Percent to Dislodge Cable

T-Mobile is cutting the price of its new 5G wireless home broadband service by 17 percent, stepping up efforts to steal internet customers from cable and phone companies. The new price is $50 a month, a decrease of $10, T-Mobile said October 5. The six-month-old service is available to more than 30 million homes, but that’s just a fraction of the US total.